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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Opportunities To Enhance Non-Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Gas Mitigation In China
by , , , , and -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...
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Baseline Water Stress: China
by , and -This technical note describes the data and methodology used to calculate BWS-China.
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Global Forest Watch Climate: Summary of Methods and Data
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,...
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Encroaching on Land and Livelihoods: How National Expropriation Laws Measure Up Against International Standards
by -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...
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Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard
by , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and -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...
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Staying on Track from Paris
Advancing the Key Elements of the Paris Agreement
by , , , , , , , and -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...
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The Future Electricity Grid
Key Questions and Considerations for Developing Countries
by , , , , , , , , 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,...
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Prosumers in Bengaluru
Lessons for Scaling Rooftop Solar PV
by and -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...
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Accelerating Building Efficiency
Eight Actions for Urban Leaders
by , , , , , , , , and -
With buildings responsible for 32 percent of global energy consumption and a quarter of CO2 emissions, there is a huge, under-tapped...
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How Illinois Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets
by , and -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...
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Impacts of Small-Scale Electricity Systems: A Study of Rural Communities in India and Nepal
by , and -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...
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Shifting Diets for a Sustainable Food Future
Creating a Sustainable Food Future, Installment Eleven
by , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and -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. It introduces a...
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Sustainable Energy Access Forums
by and -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...
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The Trillion Dollar Question II: Tracking Investment Needs in Transport
by , , and -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.
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Putting a Price on Carbon: Ensuring Equity
by and -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...
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Strengthening Governance of India's Appliance Efficiency Standards and Labeling Program
by , , and -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,...
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How Wisconsin Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets
by , and -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...
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U.S.- China Clean Energy Collaboration: Lessons from the Advanced Coal Technology Consortium
by -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...
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Transformational Climate Finance: An Exploration of Low-Carbon Energy
by and -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.
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The Paris Climate Promise: A Good Deal for America
Testimony of Dr. Andrew Steer, President and CEO, World Resources Institute
by -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,...
