World Resources Report Update

The World Resources Report (WRR) is being developed around seven working papers focusing on urban issues in the global south, specifically targeting the needs of the lower half of the income distribution to achieve economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social equity. The report's framing emphasizes preventing "unsustainable urban lock-in" and addressing the "urbanization of poverty." Key thematic areas include urban expansion, affordable shelter, urban energy services, regional water risk, and sustainable transportation, with a proposed "40:40:40 strategy" for transport mode split by 2040. The project involves a core team and lead authors conducting literature reviews and stakeholder engagement, with planned city-level case studies in Medellín, Surat, and a city in Africa.

• The WRR focuses on regions where the majority of future urbanization will occur, specifically addressing the "urbanization of poverty" in the global south to prevent "unsustainable urban lock-in."
• The report's approach to sustainability—covering economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social equity—prioritizes solutions based on the quality of life and needs of the lower 50% of the urban income distribution.
• The urban expansion working paper explores growth models that serve the bottom half of the income distribution and proposes solutions such as regulating private real estate investment, reforming density regulations, and utilizing transit oriented development (TOD).
• The shelter working paper has shifted its focus from general housing to "well-located secure and affordable housing," emphasizing the need to discuss "homes" rather than just "shelter" or "housing."
• The urban energy working paper focuses on energy services (lighting, heating/cooling, mobility, and sanitation) rather than energy per se, seeking solutions that enhance services for the bottom 50% and increase overall city productivity and sustainability.
• The transportation working paper proposes a "40:40:40 strategy" to be achieved by 2040, aiming for a mode split of over 40% quality public transport and over 40% safe walking and biking.
• The regional water risk analysis examines how the bottom half of the income distribution is disproportionately vulnerable to flooding and scarcity, and explores integrated water resource management and natural infrastructure as solutions.

APA

Beard, V., Mahendra, A., Westphal, M., Fischer, A., Colin, B., Varela, S., Jagannathan, V., Canales, D., Gelman, V., King, R., Otto, B., & Hidalgo, D. (n.d.). World Resources Report Update. World Resources Institute. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr-update-vol1.pdf

Chicago

Beard, Victoria, Anjali Mahendra, Michael Westphal, Alyssa Fischer, Benoit Colin, Sebastian Varela, Vijay Jagannathan, et al. World Resources Report Update. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr-update-vol1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Beard |first1=Victoria |last2=Mahendra |first2=Anjali |last3=Westphal |first3=Michael |last4=Fischer |first4=Alyssa |last5=Colin |first5=Benoit |last6=Varela |first6=Sebastian |last7=Jagannathan |first7=Vijay |last8=Canales |first8=Diego |last9=Gelman |first9=Valeria |display-authors=etal |title=World Resources Report Update |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr-update-vol1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{beardndworld, author = {Beard, Victoria and Mahendra, Anjali and Westphal, Michael and Fischer, Alyssa and Colin, Benoit and Varela, Sebastian and Jagannathan, Vijay and Canales, Diego and Gelman, Valeria and King, Robin and Otto, Betsy and Hidalgo, Dario}, title = {{World Resources Report Update}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr-update-vol1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }