WRI Insights

In just two decades, Eskişehir went from a polluted and crumbling post-industrial city to a bustling model of sustainability. The Eskişehir Urban Development Project established a network of green spaces and accessible streets, all linked by a new electric tram.

Rigid policies, unclear land tenure and lax enforcement can create misalignment between policy, action and desired results in forest management and restoration.

Cities can save money, stimulate their local economy, build community equity and increase resilience to climate impacts by building local solar energy.

Every Sunday, Guadalajara closes more than 60 kilometers of streets to car traffic, opening them up for public use by pedestrians, cyclists and performers. Since starting the "Via RecreActiva," Guadalajara has more open space for recreation, a new collective image of public space and a revitalized movement for transit equity.

A new report from the Indonesian government finds that the country can slash emissions almost 43 percent by 2030 while growing GDP 6 percent per year until 2045. The findings will feed directly into the government's next five-year development plan.

Governments are beginning to take up the call for a "just transition" to a clean energy economy, with advancements seen in Canada, Spain, Germany, Costa Rica and more. One way they can do so: Integrate the "just transition" into their long-term strategies for climate action.

Pune's waste pickers used to be treated much like the garbage they collected. India's first worker-owned waste-pickers' cooperative elevated their status while cleaning up Pune's mountains of trash.

Inequality around the world is rising. Managing water resources lies at the center of the challenge—if we can manage water more equitably, we'll improve livelihoods and opportunities around the world.

Green infrastructure like forests, wetlands and coral reefs can help traditional “gray infrastructure” perform better. Yet, green-gray infrastructure projects remain relatively niche, mainly because of persistent myths about their costs and feasibility.

Medellin used to be the murder capital of the world. Today, new businesses, plazas, libraries and schools can be seen throughout the city's hillside neighborhoods. An aerial tram system is at the heart of Medellin's transformation.