WRI Insights

Insights is WRI’s flagship publication dedicated to telling stories about the intersection of people, nature and the climate. Through analysis, commentary and data-driven articles, WRI's researchers share expertise and highlight solutions for securing a sustainable future.

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Visitors stroll between spires on the rooftop of Milan Cathedral, some seeking shade under hats or umbrellas during a hot summer day
Charted

Europe’s Soaring Heat and the Great Air Conditioning Dilemma

Europe’s cities can beat extreme heat by combining efficient air con with passive cooling to reduce emissions and energy use.

Charted
People riding bicycles and walking on a paved pathway.
Finding

Calculating Climate Behavior Change Wins at Scale: Here’s What Works

Which interventions can make transformative impacts in shifting sustainable behavior? A new tool helps decision-makers answer that question. 

Finding
Passengers wait for an electric bus in Chandigarh, India.
Commentary

The New Climate Playbook: Cities and National Governments Working Together

New coalitions of the willing are emerging as key players in advancing climate action, closing the gap left by more formal — but slower-moving — multilateral negotiations.

Commentary
People carrying baskets of seedlings on their heads along a green hillside.
Finding

Restoration's Success Goes Beyond Counting Trees

Data from restoration projects across Africa shows how the benefits of land restoration extend far beyond ecosystems, creating new jobs, raising incomes, empowering women and youth, and strengthening communities.

Finding
Cars hooked up to electric vehicle charging stations.
Commentary

Retired EV Batteries Can Play a Vital Role in Making Clean Energy More Affordable and Accessible

Millions of retired EV batteries still hold significant capacity. With the right policies and investment, they could provide a second life powering homes, businesses and communities.

Commentary
Wind turbines silhouetted against a sunset, reflecting in calm water as people walk by..
Commentary

The Roadmap to $1.3 Trillion in Climate Finance Will Rely on Building Coalitions

As international climate action faces an onslaught of challenges, unity among governments, financial institutions and others around a path toward the $1.3 trillion climate finance goal is critical for its success.

Commentary
Children and families enjoying a park in the Cully neighborhood with climbing rocks and play areas.
Vignette

Environmental Justice Lives On in Local Communities Despite Federal Rollbacks

Communities are holding polluters accountable, shaping environmental decisions and building healthier neighborhoods — demonstrating how environmental justice advances from the ground up.

Vignette
A train travels through a green hillside with wind turbines in the background.
Finding

G20 Countries Have Submitted Climate Progress Reports for the First Time. Are They Delivering?

Biennial transparency reports provide a clearer look at whether major economies are actually making progress on their climate commitments. What they reveal is sobering.

Finding
The bare hillsides of Bukavu being restored and stabilized
Vignette

Tackling Central Africa's Water and Power Challenges Starts with Restoring Nature

In conflict-affected Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, nature-based solutions are reducing flooding, protecting hydropower dams and creating green jobs, providing lessons for rapidly urbanizing cities across sub-Saharan Africa.

Vignette
Bulldozers clear Malaysian rainforest to make way for agriculture.
Finding

New Data Shows What’s Driving Forest Loss Around the World

Data on Global Forest Watch reveals that 34% of tree cover losses worldwide from 2001-2025 were likely the result of permanent land use change, meaning trees won’t grow back naturally. This percentage nearly doubles in tropical primary rainforests, to 60%.

Finding

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