6 Steps the Obama Administration Can Take in 2016 to Cement its Climate Legacy

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines six specific domestic policy steps and several international actions the Obama administration should undertake in 2016 to secure its climate legacy and meet greenhouse gas reduction targets.

• The World Resources Institute recommends six domestic actions for the Obama administration in 2016: implementing the Clean Power Plan to reduce power sector GHG emissions by 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030; proposing standards to reduce methane leaks from existing natural gas infrastructure; banning more potent hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) uses and amending the Montreal Protocol; preparing the next administration to regulate emissions from large industrial sources such as refineries and steel manufacturers; finalizing fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and emissions standards for new aircraft; and increasing support for local community climate resilience.
• To maintain international climate momentum, the document suggests the United States should sign and join the Paris Agreement on April 22 (Earth Day), fulfill its commitments to the Green Climate Fund to support developing countries, and mobilize resources for Mission Innovation, a multi-country R&D initiative.
• The United States has a 2025 emission reduction target to lower emissions by 26-28 percent below 2005 levels. Achieving this requires action in the six recommended areas, as well as addressing emissions from off-highway vehicles, PFC and SF6 sources, nitric and adipic acid manufacturing, and increasing the nation's carbon sink.

APA

World Resources Institute (2016). 6 Steps the Obama Administration Can Take in 2016 to Cement its Climate Legacy. https://www.wri.org/insights/6-steps-obama-administration-can-take-2016-cement-its-climate-legacy

Chicago

World Resources Institute. 6 Steps the Obama Administration Can Take in 2016 to Cement its Climate Legacy. 2016. https://www.wri.org/insights/6-steps-obama-administration-can-take-2016-cement-its-climate-legacy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=6 Steps the Obama Administration Can Take in 2016 to Cement its Climate Legacy |date=13 January 2016 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/6-steps-obama-administration-can-take-2016-cement-its-climate-legacy |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2016steps, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{6 Steps the Obama Administration Can Take in 2016 to Cement its Climate Legacy}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2016}, month = jan, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/6-steps-obama-administration-can-take-2016-cement-its-climate-legacy}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }