WRI Insights

Indonesia's parliament recently approved an agreement to reduce haze pollution from land and forest fires. Ratification of the law—originally signed 12 years ago—comes not a moment too soon: Fires are currently flaring across southern Sumatra and West and Central Kalimantan, jeopardizing Indonesia’s forests and the communities and wildlife that call these regions home.

When CEOs and heads of state meet on September 23 at the [UN Climate Summit ](http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/) in New York, two questions will guide the discussion.

A new report, *[Better Growth, Better Climate](http://newclimateeconomy.report/)*, finds that there are several actions city leaders can take that can reduce emissions while driving economic growth. **The report finds that connected, compact cities could save $3 trillion in infrastructure investments over the next 15 years.** Not only that, but they can also curb global climate change and yield immediate local benefits for air quality, health, and quality of life.

How should politicians prioritize between robust economic growth and solving the problem of climate change? A [new report](http://newclimateeconomy.report/) reveals an encouraging answer: There’s no need to choose. *[Better Growth, Better Climate](http://newclimateeconomy.report/)*, finds that **low-carbon investments—if done right—could cost about the same as conventional infrastructure, but would deliver significantly greater economic, social, and environmental benefits in the long-run.**

City leaders will have a key role at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York City, which brings together heads of state, mayors, business leaders and civil society representatives to work toward an international agenda to tackle climate change and build resilience.

In an article written for Huffington Post, Andrew Steer discusses how shale energy depends on water supply.

The shale gas revolution, which began nearly 10 years ago in the United States, is poised to spread across the globe. For many countries, shale gas could strengthen energy security while cutting emissions. But unlocking this massive resource comes with a significant environmental risk: access to freshwater for drinking, agriculture, and industrial use.

New analysis reveals that since 2000, more than 8 percent of the world’s Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) have been degraded—an area measuring 104 million hectares, or three times the size of Germany. **In other words, human activities disturbed 20,000 hectares of pristine forest every day for the past 13 years.**

On September 23, heads of state and leaders in finance, business and civil society will gather in New York City for the United Nations Climate Summit, aimed at jump-starting talks to reach a global climate agreement by December 2015. It's hardly the first time these actors have convened to counter climate change. Here's why this summit is worth watching.

Dozens of countries are deciding whether or not to develop their shale gas and tight oil resources in order to reduce emissions, create new jobs, and increase national energy supplies. However, extracting natural gas and tight oil from shale poses water risk. We analyzed water stress levels in the 20 countries with the largest shale gas and tight oil resources, and found that 40 percent face high water stress.