WRI is committed to producing high-quality research, including reports, issue briefs, working papers, and technical notes. Our publications are subject to peer review, and are held to traditional "academic" standards of excellence, such as objectivity and rigor. We also ensure that all of our publications are timely, fit for audience, and rooted in a strategic plan for achieving positive change in the world. If you notice an error in one of our publications or have concerns about the quality of our research, please contact the authors and copy Vice President for Science and Research Janet Ranganathan.
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China is making significant progress in the fight against climate change, including a commitment to peak its carbon emissions around 2030. From ramping up its carbon intensity target to limiting coal use to implementing an emissions trading scheme, recent signs show that the country is already...
This technical note describes the data and methodology used to calculate BWS-China.
The Global Forest Watch (GFW) Climate online platform catalyzes action on climate change by providing timely and credible answers to questions about the impacts of tropical deforestation on global climate change. Its wealth of data and analytical tools allow researchers, governments, donors,...
Encroaching on Land and Livelihoods examines whether national expropriation laws in 30 countries across Asia and Africa follow the international standards established in Section 16 of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests in the...
The Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard (or FLW Standard) is a global standard that provides requirements and guidance for quantifying and reporting on the weight of food and/or associated inedible parts removed from the food supply chain—commonly referred to as “food...
The Paris Agreement is a hugely significant step towards reaching a zero-carbon and resilient world. But challenges remain if we are to limit temperature rise and increase capacity to adapt to climate impacts. Those challenges include: the alignment of financial flows towards zero-carbon and...
Renewable energy (RE) is growing worldwide, with a six-fold increase in non-hydro renewables over the last decade from 85 to 657 gigawatts (GW). This report reviews the key trends that explain growth in RE, and highlights how they are challenging decision making in countries such as Brazil,...
The City of Bengaluru in the Indian state of Karnataka is making progress on rooftop solar PV installations, mainly through its utility implemented net-metering program. Yet, much more needs to be done if the state is to reach its 400 MW rooftop solar target by 2018. This working paper provides...
With buildings responsible for 32 percent of global energy consumption and a quarter of CO2 emissions, there is a...
This fact sheet examines how Illinois can use its existing policies and infrastructure to meet its emission standards under the Clean Power Plan while minimizing compliance costs, ensuring reliability, and harnessing economic opportunities. Read about additional analyses in WRI's fact sheet...
This study assesses and compares the benefits of electricity service to households and small enterprises from microgrids, solar home systems (SHS), and the national grid in select rural communities in India and Nepal. Electricity access, in general, leads to reduced kerosene use, more time spent...
Installment 11 of Creating a Sustainable Food Future shows that for people who consume high amounts of meat and dairy, shifting to diets with a greater share of plant-based foods could significantly reduce agriculture’s pressure on the environment....
WWF and WRI have partnered to develop a roadmap for creating Sustainable Energy Access Forums (SEAFs) at the country level. The roadmap offers a multi-stakeholder approach to strengthening the enabling environment around (a) investments, (b) planning, and (c) policy and regulation of clean...
This working paper seeks to elucidate the current estimates for transport infrastructure requirements, looking at a series of reports that consider projected global infrastructure needs in the coming few decades, and provide or quote a cost estimate for these needs.
Putting a Price on Carbon: Ensuring Equity finds that the revenues from a carbon price can be used to address regional disparities and ensure that unfair burdens are not imposed on households that cannot afford them. By using just a small portion of carbon pricing revenue to...
This issue brief examines how improved governance can help make India’s appliance efficiency standards and labelling program more successful. We focus particularly on standard setting, program implementation, and monitoring and verification through the lens of transparency, accountability,...
This fact sheet examines how Wisconsin can use its existing policies and infrastructure to meet its emission standards under the Clean Power Plan while minimizing compliance costs, ensuring reliability, and harnessing economic opportunities. Read about additional analyses in WRI's fact sheet...
This working paper examines the first five years of U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC) Advanced Coal Technology Consortium, a collaborative effort by the United States and China to accelerate development on carbon capture and storage and other advanced coal technologies. It assesses...
This working paper examines how climate finance can be transformational by gleaning insights from nine low-carbon energy case studies, selected to cover a variety of geographies, energy sources, and degrees of transformation.
On February 2nd, President and CEO of the World Resources Institute Andrew Steer testified in front of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology for a hearing about the historic Paris Agreement. Drawing on the latest research, analysis, and outcomes from the Paris climate summit,...
