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The WRI 2023-2027 Strategic Plan aims to facilitate a 'great transition' by addressing the systemic links between human needs, ecosystem health, and climate stability. The strategy focuses on transforming three primary human systems—food, land and water; energy; and cities—while reforming the underlying economic, financial, and governance 'enabling systems.' WRI intends to implement these strategies through global initiatives and deep engagement in 12 focus countries, utilizing evidence-based theories of change and multi-year flexible funding to achieve measurable impact aligned with international targets like the Paris Agreement.

The document argues that the 2023 Farm Bill should be used to make US agriculture net zero by 2040 and reverse species decline. It proposes expanding the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), strengthening the Sodsaver provision to prevent native prairie conversion, and increasing funding for regenerative agriculture and technical assistance. It also recommends reducing food loss and waste, improving freshwater management, and ensuring bioenergy supports only advanced fuels with at least 50% life-cycle GHG reductions. Additionally, it emphasizes increasing equity for Tribal Nations and historically underserved producers.

The report finds that a rapid transition to renewable energy is 2-16 times better for nature and society than a business-as-usual scenario across 27 of 30 metrics, significantly reducing air pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate-related land degradation. While the transition increases demands on critical minerals, water for bioenergy, and river fragmentation from hydropower, the report argues these risks can be mitigated through strategic planning, low-conflict siting, and circular economy practices.

The We Mean Business Coalition views the COP15 Kunming-Montreal agreement as a historic step toward protecting and restoring 30% of the planet by 2030, signaling that nature must be integrated into corporate climate transition plans. While welcoming the framework, the Coalition criticizes Target 15 for failing to mandate nature-related disclosures, instead using language that only 'encourage[s], enable[s] and ensure[s]' such actions, which may lead to an uneven global playing field.

The report tracks government financial support in India's energy sector, noting that while renewable energy subsidies doubled in FY 2022, fossil fuel subsidies remained more than four times higher than those for clean energy.

In 2022, global coal emissions were poised to reach record highs due to energy disruptions, yet the year also saw record coal capacity retirements and cancellations. Over 95 percent of global coal consumption now occurs in markets committed to net-zero emissions or coal phaseouts. Finance has become a primary lever for this transition, with approximately $45.2 billion committed over two years, primarily through Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) in South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam. However, these funds are viewed as stepping stones, as the total investment needed for system-wide transitions—including clean energy infrastructure and just transition efforts—far exceeds current commitments. The document emphasizes the need for greater transparency in deal design and a balance between top-down country programs and bottom-up asset-level pilots to mobilize the necessary private and public capital.

The document argues that current agri-food transition finance is often unambitious and lacks alignment with science-based pathways, particularly regarding scope 3 emissions. It introduces five Transition Principles and five Hallmarks to ensure that corporate transition plans are rooted in action rather than pledges, exclude offsets, and align with a 1.5°C trajectory. The paper also reviews various existing frameworks, such as SBTi FLAG and the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance, to identify how they address broader goals like biodiversity, water use, and just transition.

The report evaluates transition planning among ASEAN companies in sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals against the Climate Bonds Initiative's 'Five Hallmarks' of a credibly transitioning company. It finds that while net-zero commitments are increasing, most plans are fragmented and lack the robust, costed, and science-based pathways necessary for a 1.5°C alignment. The document provides specific analysis of companies such as Siam Cement Group and PTT, and offers guidance on improving the credibility of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) by ensuring they include material emission scopes and absolute targets.

The report finds that Carlyle and NGP have significant exposure to transition risk, with a large portion of their planned capital expenditure for upstream oil and gas projects incompatible with the Paris Agreement's goals. It argues that Carlyle's 'net zero' targets are insufficient because they exclude Scope 3 emissions and minority investments, and suggests that investors push for stronger transition planning and transparency.

The report finds that Carlyle and NGP have significant exposure to transition risk, with a large portion of their planned capital expenditure for upstream oil and gas projects incompatible with the Paris Agreement's goals. It argues that Carlyle's 'net zero' target is insufficient because it excludes Scope 3 emissions and minority investments, and warns that continuing to expand fossil fuel production risks creating stranded assets as global demand shifts toward renewables.

The report finds that The Carlyle Group and NGP Energy Capital have significant exposure to transition risk, with a large portion of their upstream portfolio's planned capital expenditure incompatible with the Paris Agreement's goals. It argues that Carlyle's 'net zero' targets are insufficient because they exclude Scope 3 emissions and minority investments, while its investment strategy continues to favor production expansion despite IEA warnings that no new oil and gas fields are needed for a 1.5°C scenario.

The guide outlines five principles for corporate climate leadership: reducing emissions in own business, cutting land-based emissions in value chains, investing in nature-based solutions beyond value chains, ensuring responsible policy engagement, and reporting transparently. It emphasizes that investments in nature-based solutions, such as high-quality carbon credits, must complement rather than replace deep decarbonization efforts. The document argues that scaling these investments is essential to meet Paris Agreement goals, noting that nature-based solutions currently receive only 3% of climate finance despite representing about 30% of the climate solution.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar highlights the increasing risks of extreme heat and humidity for athletes, spectators, and outdoor workers, necessitating adaptations such as rescheduling the tournament to November and December. FIFA reports that the 2022 event will generate record-high emissions of approximately 3.6 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents, primarily from travel, though the organization aims for carbon neutrality through offsetting. The document also notes that heat-related risks will continue to affect future global sporting events in regions like Australia, Europe, Mexico, the U.S., and Canada.

The document reviews eleven research projects to identify which climate engagement frames resonate with seven British public segments. It finds that nature and health-related frames are generally stable and effective, while economic and political messaging requires careful tailoring to avoid alienating lower-income or conservative-leaning groups. The review emphasizes the need for positive framing and the recognition of differing capacities for individual action amidst cost-of-living crises.

The document contends that the current energy crisis is a "natural gas market crisis" caused by fossil fuel price volatility, specifically citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine and post-pandemic recovery. It argues that natural gas is incompatible with the 1.5°C and 2°C Paris Agreement targets, noting that global gas emissions rose 23% between 2010 and 2019. The briefing highlights that solar and onshore wind are now cheaper than gas for two-thirds of the global population and that new gas projects face significant stranded asset risks, such as a USD 13 billion risk in the UK by 2050. It dismisses Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as an effective solution, noting that only 27 of over 260 projects undertaken between 1995 and 2018 were completed. Finally, it argues that for Africa, renewables are the fastest and cheapest way to expand energy access, as gas costs are projected to be double those of solar and wind by 2030.

The We Mean Business Coalition calls for the urgent delivery of the $100 billion annual climate finance commitment to developing countries and the implementation of market signals to steer private capital toward net zero. The coalition emphasizes the need for reforming fossil fuel subsidies, implementing carbon pricing, and mandating transparent, comparable sustainability reporting standards aligned with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to prevent greenwashing and facilitate sustainable investment.

The statement critiques the Glasgow Financial Alliance on Net Zero (GFANZ) for a lack of evidence regarding its impact on member emission trajectories and calls on leaders Mark Carney and Michael Bloomberg to pressure members to stop financing fossil fuels.

One year after COP26, GFANZ has expanded to over 150 trillion USD in assets but faces criticism for uneven progress across its sectoral alliances and a weakened link to the Race to Zero campaign. The author contends that the alliance's reliance on voluntary carbon markets and vague targets—such as those from Vanguard and BMO Global Asset Manager—undermines its goals, urging leadership to 'name and shame' members who fail to align their portfolios with net zero emissions.

The We Mean Business Coalition calls for governments and corporations at COP27 to support SMEs in the energy transition. It highlights that SMEs are disproportionately affected by climate impacts and energy costs, and urges the implementation of policies to accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to renewables, increase investment in climate innovation, and provide accessible tax credits and incentives similar to the US Inflation Reduction Act.

The document argues that climate finance for Africa is grossly insufficient, with an estimated annual shortfall of $112 billion for the 2020-2030 period. It calls for a total commitment of $1.3 trillion from rich countries to cover adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage, while advocating for the use of natural gas as a transition fuel and the reform of the global financial architecture.