WRI Insights

A new report shows how civil society groups can track the flow of adaptation funds and ensure money is used productively.

In Paris today, a coalition of more than a dozen African countries, nine financing organizations and 10 technical partners announced a new initiative called the African Restoration Initiative (AFR100), with the goal of restoring 100 million hectares of degraded and deforested land in Africa by 2030.

In just one year, Initiative 20x20 has secured commitments to restore 27.7 million hectares of land by 2020—an area the size of the United Kingdom —with private impact investors earmarking $730 million to support restoration projects in the region.

WRI analysis shows that by joining the Compact of Mayors, 360 cities can avoid emitting 740 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually in 2030, more than what Mexico emits every year.

Countries' new climate plans released this year represent the greatest collective commitment to reduce land use emissions even seen in international climate negotiations. Yet there's still room for even more progress during COP21.

"Today, as negotiators haggle over the details of a climate agreement in Paris, my home town in southern India is literally underwater," says Arivudai Nambi Appadurai, WRI India's Adaptation Strategy Head for Climate Resilience Practice. "Chennai has seen 17 days straight of rain, precisely the kind of extreme weather event that experts say will only become more common in a warming world."

What will the final outcome of the Paris climate talks be called? An agreement? A package? A treaty? As delegates make progress crafting the negotiating text at COP 21, there has been intense discussion about its legal form. Here are seven questions and answers to help understand this important issue as we head towards the climate conference's final week.

The Adaptation Fund and Green Climate Fund are unique in that they provide climate finance directly to national institutions in developing nations. Here’s how countries can meet the Funds’ requirements to help finance mitigation and adaptation activities.

At COP21's first-ever Buildings Day, WRI and other groups announced the expansion of the Building Efficiency Accelerator to catalyze an increase in energy-efficient buildings in developing country cities.

Just 10 years ago, many corporate executives wouldn’t even say the words “climate change.” Now, hundreds are taking action by setting internal prices on carbon, adopting science-based emissions targets and signing climate action pledges.