WRI Insights

After the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Japan halted all existing nuclear operations and significantly scaled back its 2020 emissions-reduction target. As Japan revises its energy policy over the next few years, officials will decide the future of the country’s energy mix—and its climate action. New research [reveals](http://www.wri.org/publication/ghg-mitigation-policy-japan) that Japan can likely go beyond its emissions-reduction target with existing initiatives, but needs to pursue more ambitious action in the long-term to truly overcome the climate change challenge.

A new WRI working paper, “[Monitoring Climate Finance in Developing Countries: Challenges and Next Steps](http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/WRI13_MonitoringClimate_final_web.pdf),” draws on a series of three regional workshops in Latin America, Africa, and Asia where representatives from governments and other agencies discussed the challenges in monitoring climate finance flows, and some of the efforts their countries are making to overcome these challenges.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) [carbon emissions regulations for existing power plants](https://archive.epa.gov/epa/cleanpowerplan/carbon-pollution-standards-new-modified-and-reconstructed-power-plants-regulatory.html), released earlier this month, are an opportunity for utility customers to save big with renewable energy—accelerating the current trend.

After nearly two weeks of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) [negotiations in Bonn](http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/05/3-things-we-need-hear-climate-ministers-bonn), the pathway to Paris and the [new international climate agreement to be agreed there](http://www.wri.org/blog/2013/11/qa-jennifer-morgan-how-do-we-secure-strong-international-climate-agreement-2015) at the end of 2015 is beginning to emerge. At this mid-year negotiating session held between the annual summits that take place in December, climate negotiators began to discuss key issues, particularly the framework for the national offers that individual countries will make (their “intended nationally determined contributions”).

EMBARQ Mexico discusses three key elements of urban design to support quality public transport, and how it can help cities move towards a transit-oriented development model.

Peristiwa kebakaran hutan dan lahan gambut yang baru-baru ini terjadi di Indonesia meninggalkan jejak kerusakan yang sangat dahsyat. Kebakaran hutan, yang [mencapai puncak](http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/03/fires-indonesia-spike-highest-levels-june-2013-haze-emergency) pada bulan Maret serupa dengan krisis kabut asap Juni 2013, menghasilkan kabut asap berbahaya dalam jumlah yang sangat besar. Hal ini mengakibatkan ditutupnya ratusan sekolah dan beberapa bandara lokal, serta mungkin telah mengakibatkan gangguan pernapasan kepada [lebih dari 50.000 orang](mailto:http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/fires-spread-riau-kalimantan/). *Baca versi bahasa Inggris [di sini](http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/04/preventing-forest-fires-indonesia-focus-riau-province-peatland-and-illegal-burning)*.

As governments and citizens look for ways to reduce the risks they face from climate change, one option at their disposal is the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process developed under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Heather McGray draws on her experience at the [Experts Meeting on the NAP Technical Guidelines in Tanzania](http://unfccc.int/adaptation/workstreams/national_adaptation_plans/items/8024.php) to explain key features of the NAP process.

According to a new report, the $65 billion U.S. corn industry faces a range of water-related risks that could disrupt production. Other countries face similar threats. **In fact, [one-third of the world’s corn production occurs in highly or extremely highly water-stressed regions](http://www.wri.org/applications/maps/agriculturemap/#x=64.51&y=9.90&l=3&v=home&d=maize).**

The U.S. Department of Agriculture could potentially spend part of its budget for water quality improvements seven to 12 times more cost effectively than it does now. A new WRI analysis shows how, explains why USDA isn’t already doing so, and proposes ways to make a complex policy a reality.

For more than 30 years, the USDA has worked to reduce water pollution by offering farmers throughout the nation financial and technical help to put conservation measures in place. While these efforts have successfully addressed environmental problems at the individual farm level—such as soil erosion—agriculture remains [a key source of water pollution](http://www.wri.org/blog/2012/08/how-food-production-impacts-water-quality). However, it’s only a small portion of farms that generate the majority of agriculture’s contribution to U.S. water pollution. [New research shows](http://www.wri.org/publication/national-targeting-modeling-study) that targeting conservation funds to these farms with the most potential to reduce pollution could be [up to 12 times more cost effective](http://www.wri.org/publication/national-targeting-modeling-study) than the usual practice of disbursing funds widely. And encouragingly, a new USDA program aims to capitalize on a similar targeted approach.