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This working paper by the World Resources Institute assesses potential future risks to the global climate by analyzing proposed new coal-fired power plants and global coal market trends.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute explores how climate finance can catalyze transformational change in low-carbon energy. By analyzing 20 case studies from developed and developing countries, the paper identifies the characteristics of systemic transformation, evaluates specific national experiences, and provides a planning framework and recommendations for recipient governments and development finance institutions.

This report by the World Resources Institute examines electricity sector reforms across six countries, arguing that these reforms are fundamentally issues of sustainable development. It finds that current reforms are primarily driven by financial concerns and donor conditions rather than social or environmental benefits.

This report by the World Resources Institute examines how public climate finance can be used to create the policy, institutional, industry, and financial conditions necessary to scale up private and public investment in low-carbon energy. Based on case studies from six developing countries, the report proposes a framework for 'readiness' activities and provides recommendations for international climate funds, specifically the Green Climate Fund.

This expert note from the World Resources Institute describes country platforms as mechanisms for governments to align diverse sources of finance behind national plans to achieve climate, nature, and development goals, while highlighting the institutional requirements for their success.

This WRI and WCCI working paper identifies seven enabling factors to integrate gender equity into locally led adaptation (LLA) processes, specifically within Africa's agricultural sector. It argues for a shift toward gender-transformative activities that challenge harmful social norms and power dynamics to ensure long-term climate resilience and gender equality.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the development of sustainable national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory systems in non-Annex I countries, identifying seven emerging good practices based on case studies from Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, and South Africa.

This report by the World Resources Institute examines the concept of sustainable development policies and measures (SD-PAMs) as a way to align economic development in developing countries with the goal of limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

This testimony by Rob Bradley, Director of the International Climate Policy Initiative at the World Resources Institute, argues that the United States has a critical opportunity to resume international leadership on climate change. Bradley asserts that the global landscape has shifted since the Kyoto Protocol, with major developing nations now proposing their own mitigation plans and the Bali Action Plan providing a framework for inclusive, verifiable commitments from both developed and developing countries. He emphasizes the synergy between climate action and economic growth, highlighting 'green' stimulus packages as a means to create jobs and stimulate recovery following the financial crisis.

This research paper argues for the formalization of common accounting rules for Annex I Parties and a clarification process for non-Annex I Parties' nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs). It highlights that current pledges often lack essential details on sectors, gases, and methodologies, which prevents accurate tracking of global progress toward temperature limits. The author recommends that these processes be formalized during COP17 in Durban, South Africa.

This research paper examines the trends and drivers of China's overseas investments in the wind and solar industries, analyzing at least 124 investments across 33 countries over a ten-year period.

This World Resources Institute working paper provides guidance for Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on designing national mitigation commitments for the post-2020 period. The document focuses on maximizing the 'measurability' of emissions reductions to enhance transparency, accountability, and the tracking of global progress toward limiting warming to 2°C.

This guide from the World Resources Institute explains the importance and methodologies of estimating the costs of implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It outlines how costing helps governments identify financing gaps, select financial instruments, and integrate climate commitments into national fiscal policies, while highlighting the challenges of data gaps and uncertainty.

This working paper, produced by the Agreement on Climate Transformation 2015 (ACT 2015) consortium, proposes a framework for the 2015 Paris Agreement. It suggests a structure based on two long-term goals, three continuous improvement cycles (mitigation, adaptation, and support), and a foundation of transparency and accountability to drive a global transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.

The African Cities Water Adaptation Platform (ACWA Platform) is a pan-African coalition designed to accelerate urban water resilience across Africa. Led by WRI Africa and a diverse group of partners, the platform coordinates research, technical assistance, and advocacy to address projected tripling of water demand by 2050. It operates in tandem with the African Cities Water Adaptation Fund (ACWA Fund), a blended finance instrument providing grants and investments to transform strategic water plans into investment-ready projects.

This research paper by James Manor, presented at a World Resources Institute conference in 2002, examines the relationship between democratic decentralization and social equity. The author analyzes whether shifting power to local levels reduces poverty and identifies specific political and social conditions under which marginalized groups are most likely to benefit from such systems.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute evaluates the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) 'direct access' modality, which allows institutions in developing countries to receive funding without international intermediaries. While 62 developing country institutions were accredited as of November 2020, 67 percent of them had not yet received project approval. The paper analyzes four support mechanisms—the Readiness Programme, Project Preparation Facility, Simplified Approval Process, and Enhancing Direct Access pilot—finding that high administrative burdens, funding gaps for concept notes, and rigid eligibility criteria hinder smaller institutions from accessing climate finance.

This executive summary of a World Resources Institute working paper examines the energy challenges facing cities in the global South and proposes three scalable solutions—cleaner cooking, distributed renewable energy, and energy efficiency—to improve equity, economic productivity, and environmental quality.

This WRI working paper surveys 27 public and public-private climate funds (PPCFIs) totaling US$41.3 billion, finding that most focus on mitigation in emerging markets rather than adaptation in least-developed countries. While intended to leverage private capital, few have successfully attracted significant private investment at the fund level due to limited project pipelines, inadequate scale, and cumbersome operational processes. WRI recommends standardizing requirements, improving information transparency, and fostering better market conditions to effectively mobilize private finance.

The WRI Results Framework is a strategic document that maps the organization's goals, intervention targets, and impact indicators across three primary human systems: food, land & water; energy; and cities. It establishes a hierarchy of results from global targets (by 2030) to WRI intervention targets (by 2027) and specific country-level targets, all designed to improve human well-being, protect nature, and tackle climate change.