WRI Insights

The Gulf of Mexico has the [largest dead zone](http://insights.wri.org/news/2012/10/extreme-weather-mixed-bag-dead-zones) in the United States and the second-largest in the world. Dead zones form when excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous wash into waterways and spur algal blooms, depleting the water of oxygen and killing fish, shrimp, and other marine life. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone can range between an astounding 3,000 and [8,000 square miles](http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/jellyfish/textonly/locations_gulfmexico.jsp). At its largest, it’s about the size of Massachusetts.

The way companies report on their financial status has changed little since corporate accounting standards were first created 80 years ago. Yet the world they operate in, and the risks and opportunities they face, have changed almost beyond recognition.

Without the right laws and safeguards in place, development can come at the expense of the environment and local communities. This point is especially evident in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Newspapers across the region regularly document conflicts over land and [natural resource use](http://www.miningwatch.ca/news/argentina-affected-communities-say-no-osisko), [hydroelectric power](http://infoamazonia.org/maps/hydroelectric-power/) development, [oil exploitation](http://chevrontoxico.com/news-and-multimedia/2011/1010-chevron-in-open-conflict-with-ecuador-government-to-evade-environmental-cleanup), expansion of agriculture into virgin forests, and the [disruption of indigenous practices](http://blog.cifor.org/13304/for-indigenous-people-in-latin-america-land-rights-are-only-half-the-battle/).

In 2011, nearly 350 million people lived in Indian cities. [More than 300 million](http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/urbanization/urban_awakening_in_india) new residents will join them over the next few decades to become part of the new urban India. This population boom will stress an already-pressured urban infrastructure system, especially with regard to transportation.

Rural farmers [depend on land and natural resources](http://insights.wri.org/news/2012/05/why-land-rights-should-be-rio20-agenda) for food, income, and their physical well-being. But what happens when national or local governments prevent rural people and communities from farming their land?

Ministers and senior officials from developed countries [will gather](http://www.scribd.com/doc/132823923/US-Finance-Agenda-April-2013) this Thursday in Washington, D.C. to tackle one of the world’s foremost challenges: how to mobilize private sector capital to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developing countries and help them adapt to climate change’s impacts. The meeting, organized by the U.S. State Department, comes on the heels of [another meeting](http://www.oecd.org/env/cc/ccxgglobalforum-march2013.htm) of climate finance experts and researchers in Paris, organized by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Surprising as it may sound, there is no standard definition of [climate finance](http://www.wri.org/climate-finance). In fact, there are many differing views on what type of funding constitutes climate finance, how it should be delivered, and [how much money](http://www.wri.org/blog/2013/02/how-can-we-pay-green-growth-new-report-provides-answers) developing nations will need to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts. This vortex of information can be confusing to navigate. Here, we'll do our best to break down all of the components that define “climate finance.”

This is the last of a five-part blog series, [Aligning Profit and Environmental Sustainability](/blog-tags/8691). Each installment has explored key ingredients to help businesses [overcome barriers](http://www.wri.org/blog/2013/03/4-barriers-overcome-achieving-corporate-environmental-sustainability) that prevent them from integrating environmental sustainability into their everyday operations. Read [the entire series](/blog-tags/8691).

The rapid expansion of natural gas development in the United States has been a double-edged sword. While natural gas supporters are quick to point out its economic benefits and green attributes—natural gas produces roughly half the carbon dioxide emissions of coal during combustion—this isn’t the whole story. Natural gas comes with environmental consequences, including risks to air and water quality.

Six years after the release of the landmark *[Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change](http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sternreview_index.htm)*, Lord Nicholas Stern revealed yesterday the most challenging hurdle ahead for international climate action. Overcoming this obstacle is not a matter of figuring out the scientific or policy pathways needed to curb climate change—nor is it determining what technologies to adopt or what investments must be made. “What’s missing is the political will,” said Stern.