Publications
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.
All of our publications are available to download.
The World Resources Report is the flagship publication of World Resources Institute. The inaugural edition, An Assessment of the Resource Base that Supports the Global Economy, was published in 1986. Subsequent editions have been published at regular intervals and have provided in-depth analyses of issues ranging from human health and the environment to climate change, ecosystem services and environmental governance. Every World Resources Report builds on a strong evidence base to develop fresh insights that can help decision-makers evaluate and implement the most effective solutions.
Creating a Sustainable Food Future
Sustainably feeding nearly 10 billion people by 2050 is possible – but it will require significant innovation and investment by the public and private sector.
Towards a More Equal City
The World Resources Report: Towards a More Equal City focuses on helping cities in rapidly urbanizing regions alter their development trajectories as demand for infrastructure and services grow.
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Can Renewable Energy Jobs Help Reduce Poverty in India?
by , , and -India launched a massive renewable energy push in 2014 — a move that could bring electricity and jobs to poor, rural communities across the country. The government set ambitious...
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Bus Rapid Transit in China: A Comparison of Design Features with International Systems
by , , , , , and -As the recent white paper on China’s transport for the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016–2020) states, China must set higher standards for the transport development to “realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” (State Council Information Office 2016). In this...
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Enhancing NDCs by 2020: Achieving the Goals of the Paris Agreement
by , , and -Much has changed since countries first developed their NDCs. All Parties have the opportunity to communicate new or updated NDCs by 2020, informed by the outcomes of a facilitative dialogue in 2018, and incorporating advances in renewable energy, technology and policy developments in key sectors...
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Designing the Enhanced Transparency Framework, Part 2: Review Under the Paris Agreement
by , , , , and -The Project for Advancing Climate Transparency (PACT) consortium supports the design and development of robust and effective transparency and accountability rules and processes for the Paris Agreement on climate change. This working paper examines the technical expert review and facilitative,...
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Designing the Enhanced Transparency Framework Part 1: Reporting under the Paris Agreement
by , , , and -The Project for Advancing Climate Transparency (PACT) consortium works to support the design and development of robust and effective transparency and accountability rules and processes for the Paris Agreement on climate change. This working paper examines the five streams of information to be...
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Turning Points: Trends in Countries’ Reaching Peak Greenhouse Gas Emissions over Time
by and -This paper assesses each of the world’s countries in terms of whether their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have peaked, when they have peaked, and whether they have a commitment that implies an emissions peak in the future. The paper finds that an encouraging trend is emerging: the number of...
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How Can Indonesia Achieve Its Climate Change Mitigation Goal? An Analysis of Potential Emissions Reductions from Energy and Land-Use Policies
by , , , , , and -Indonesia is one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG). For the past two decades, GHG emissions have increased from almost all sectors, such as land-use (defined as land use, land-use change, and forestry including peat fires), energy, agriculture, industry, and waste....
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Accelerating Mini-grid Deployment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Tanzania
by , , , and -For communities across sub-Saharan Africa, a consistent and affordable supply of electricity can open new possibilities for socioeconomic progress. Mini-grids—electrical generation and distribution systems of less than 10 megawatts—can play a role. These decentralized technologies are expected...
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Designing and Testing a Methodology to Estimate Private Climate Finance Mobilization from Policy and Other Causal Factors
by and -Climate finance is increasingly important with the recent entry into force of the Paris Agreement. Countries will need significant amounts of climate finance to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions, and the largest pools of finance exist in the private sector. Consequently,...
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Early Insights on Long-term Climate Strategies
by and -Under the Paris Agreement, countries are invited to communicate “mid-century long-term low GHG emissions development strategies,” or “long-term strategies” by 2020. These strategies are central to achieving the long-term goal of limiting warming to well below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) and...
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Powering Cities in the Global South: How Energy Access for All Benefits the Economy and the Environment
by , , and -Millions of residents in some of the fastest growing cities in the world don’t have access to clean, reliable energy, and the challenge of reaching them is not getting easier. In 2012, only 58 percent of the urban population had access to electricity in low-income countries, and nearly 500...
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Emerging Green Tariffs in U.S. Regulated Electricity Markets
by and -Updated October 2018
WRI’s work on green tariffs became an initiative of the Renewable Energy Buyers’ Alliance (REBA) in March 2019. Learn more about REBA...
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Thirsting for Justice
Transparency and Poor People’s Struggle for Clean Water in Indonesia, Mongolia, and Thailand
by and -Industrial facilities release upwards of 400 million tons of toxic pollutants into the world’s waters each year. Yet secrecy around the amount and type of chemicals that companies discharge is still the norm, especially in Asia. Contaminated water threatens the region’s poorest communities—those...
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A Tool for Designing a Policy Package to Achieve Indonesia’s Climate Targets
Summary of Methods and Data used in the Indonesia Energy Policy Simulator
by and -Indonesia, one of the world’s major greenhouse gas emitters, has outlined a plan to unconditionally reduce its emissions by 29 percent relative to a business-as-usual case in 2030 and up to 41 percent conditioned on international assistance. Policymakers need to design supporting policy packages...
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Predicting Future Forest Loss in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s CARPE Landscapes
by , and -The Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE) is an initiative of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), whose main objectives are to mitigate climate change and sustainably manage forests in Central Africa. As the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC)...
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Roundtable at the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology: Embracing a 21st Century, Low-Carbon Economy
Opening Remarks of Manish Bapna, Executive Vice President, World Resources Institute
by -On June 20, Executive Vice President of the World Resources Institute Manish Bapna spoke to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology at a roundtable about science and policy perspectives on climate change. Manish corrected the Trump administration’s misleading statements on climate...
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Confronting the Urban Housing Crisis in the Global South: Adequate, Secure, and Affordable Housing
by , , and -Well-located, secure and affordable housing is lacking in many cities and is only projected to get worse – it is estimated that 1.6 billion people will lack adequate housing by 2025. Good housing is fundamental to physical and financial security, economic productivity, healthy communities, and...
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Implementation Guide for Utilities: Designing Renewable Energy Products to Meet Large Energy Customer Needs
by -Large-scale corporate energy buyers are seeking renewable energy as a central element of their overall energy strategy. In a few states, these commercial and industrial (C&I) customers have collaborated with their utilities to create new opportunities to buy renewable energy in ways that...
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Water Quality Targeting Success Stories
How to Achieve Measurably Cleaner Water Through U.S. Farm Conservation Watershed Projects
by -This joint report from WRI and the American Farmland Trust features lessons learned from six water quality targeting project success stories and highlights key factors that allowed these programs to achieve desirable environmental outcomes. It concludes with recommendations for both public and...
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Financing the Energy Transition: Are World Bank, IFC, and ADB Energy Supply Investments Supporting a Low-Carbon Future?
by , , and -Finance provided and catalyzed by multilateral development banks (MDBs) will help pay for implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement in many developing countries. Although MDBs already track and report on their climate finance, less is known about how...
