Search Climate Insights Directory

Over 30 environmental organizations have petitioned the U.S. Senate to oppose 'year-round E15' legislation, asserting that increasing the ethanol blend from 10 percent to 15 percent would raise food and fuel costs, increase greenhouse gas emissions through land-use changes, and cause environmental degradation.

A WRI study identifies fragmented governance, uneven technical capacity, and limited localized data and finance as primary obstacles to effective climate adaptation in Brazil, India, and Indonesia. The report argues that adaptation must be a 'two-way process' where national resources support local implementation and local priorities inform national decisions. Key recommendations include establishing binding coordination mechanisms, providing differentiated technical support to under-resourced municipalities, and integrating adaptation criteria into fiscal transfers and budgeting systems to unlock finance.

An analysis of 14 major economies outside the traditional UNFCCC contributors reveals that they provided approximately $102 billion in voluntary climate finance from 2013 to 2023. The study highlights a shift toward a multipolar finance reality, where emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) are increasingly active, though their contributions remain fragmented in official reporting. The report emphasizes the need for inclusive reporting frameworks and the scaling of triangular partnerships and de-risking mechanisms to mobilize further private capital to meet global climate goals.

The research evaluates the feasibility and economic benefits of transitioning from food-crop biofuels to residue-based SAFs and e-fuels in the Midwestern United States. It finds that producing three billion gallons of SAF annually from corn stover could contribute between $9 billion and $32 billion to regional GDP and support up to 214,000 jobs, provided there is sufficient policy support.

The World Resources Institute has released the Carbon Opportunity Cost Calculation Tool (Version 1.0), an Excel-based resource that automates the estimation of carbon lost from plants and soils when land is converted from native vegetation to agriculture. The tool provides default factors for nearly 90 agricultural products across 10 regions and 5 countries, allowing users to input product volumes to determine land occupation in hectares and carbon opportunity cost in carbon dioxide equivalent.

The paper assesses climate finance provided by 14 non-Annex II countries, finding they contributed $102.38 billion between 2013 and 2023. While China is the largest contributor, other nations show a strong preference for adaptation. The study emphasizes the need to standardize this voluntary data to support the Baku to Belém (B2B) Roadmap and a multipolar financial system.

The document examines how India is managing an energy price shock resulting from conflict in Iran. To control inflation, the Indian government has absorbed costs by cutting fuel excise duties and increasing fertilizer subsidies, costing an estimated 590 billion Indian rupees between March and May 2026. The brief warns that continued shock absorption may drain budgets for grid modernization and renewable energy, while passing costs to the public would disproportionately harm low-income households through indirect inflationary effects on food and transport.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) issued a statement mourning the passing of Rafe Pomerance, a pioneer in the climate movement. Pomerance is credited with helping organize the 1986 U.S. Senate hearings on the greenhouse effect and serving as a key architect of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. He worked with numerous organizations, including WRI from 1986 to 1993, Friends of the Earth, and the U.S. government, to push climate change onto the political agenda.

The briefing advocates for the adoption of Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs) as a central mechanism within the EU Ocean Act to replace siloed marine governance with an integrated framework. It suggests that SOPs can align fisheries, offshore energy, and conservation efforts across EU member states, citing the success of 29 countries globally and the potential for better sea-basin coordination in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.

The research finds that investing in climate services for health (CSfH)—such as early warning systems and disease surveillance—yields economic returns between US$3.60 and $68.40 per dollar invested. Despite these high returns and modest funding requirements, such as an estimated $12–$18 million annually for a median-sized developing country, these tools remain underfunded and underused. Currently, only 23 percent of surveyed WMO Member States integrate meteorological data into health surveillance systems to manage risks from diseases like malaria, dengue, and heatstroke.

Environmental organizations oppose the 'year-round E15' bill, claiming it would increase greenhouse gas emissions through land-use changes, harm wildlife and water resources, and increase costs for consumers while primarily benefiting land investors.

The document examines how climate change and human activity are increasing the vulnerability of both fire-adapted and non-adapted forests. It highlights the severe carbon emissions and ecological losses from recent record-breaking fires in 2023 and 2024, particularly in Canada and South America. The text details the drivers of vulnerability—including forest fragmentation and drought—and proposes resilience strategies such as securing Indigenous land rights, implementing fire breaks, and expanding restoration financing.

After a record year in 2024, the U.S. EV market experienced a 4% sales decline in 2025, driven by the expiration of federal tax credits and a volatile regulatory environment. While charging infrastructure continues to grow through private investment, nearly $20 billion in manufacturing projects have been canceled, particularly in the Midwest and South. Major automakers are shifting strategies toward hybrids and affordable models to mitigate losses, while workers face increased layoffs and production pauses. Despite these setbacks, long-term forecasts from BloombergNEF and the IEA suggest continued, albeit slower, EV adoption through 2030.

The World Resources Institute argues that introducing a 'no-risk' category to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) would undermine the law's effectiveness by creating loopholes for 'deforestation laundering' and risking World Trade Organization (WTO) legal challenges. The author contends that the current system, which includes a 'low-risk' category for countries like the United States and EU Member States, is sufficient and that removing due diligence requirements for 'no-risk' countries would make it 'effectively impossible' to prevent deforestation-linked goods from entering the EU market. The document emphasizes that the EUDR, set to take effect in December 2026, must maintain its core requirements for seven key commodities—timber, cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, and soy—to meet the EU's goal of halting forest loss by 2030.

The report argues that investing in climate services for health (CSfH) provides high economic returns, ranging from US$3.60 to $68.40 per dollar invested, due to the modest cost of implementation relative to the high value of lives saved. It defines CSfH through seven key activities—including early warning systems, disease surveillance, and resilient infrastructure—and estimates that a median-sized developing country requires an annual investment of US$12 to $18 million. Despite these returns, the study finds significant barriers to uptake, including a lack of integrated meteorological data in health surveillance systems and poor cross-agency collaboration between meteorological and health institutions.

The World Resources Institute describes the UK's reduction of its international climate finance budget to £6 billion over three years as a setback for the world's poorest, while suggesting the remaining funds be used to leverage private finance and support systemic change in vulnerable states.

The Move As One Coalition, comprising 142 civil society organizations and over 77,000 individuals, has successfully advocated for a shift in Philippine transport policy from car-centric models to inclusive, people-centered mobility. By utilizing data and research, the coalition highlighted that only 1% of road spending previously supported public transport, walking, or cycling. Their efforts have influenced approximately $946 million in immediate and $12 billion in long-term transport funding, leading to tangible improvements such as a dedicated busway on EDSA, a pedestrian boulevard along the Pasig River, a car-free zone in Intramuros, and over 1,200 kilometers of bike lanes nationwide. Additionally, the coalition secured better pay for transport workers through service contracting, moving from passenger-based pay to per-kilometer compensation.

WRI Brasil conducted 30 road-safety audits in Rio de Janeiro, providing the analytical basis for a $135.2 million World Bank loan. This funding has enabled the city to implement traffic-calming measures in 57 school-adjacent areas, including narrower roadways and expanded sidewalks, while funding broader goals like expanded cycling networks and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

WRI collaborated with stakeholders in Shanxi, China, to implement a "coal-to-tourism" business model that created over 1,000 jobs for displaced coal workers and increased local household incomes by 10%-20%. The initiative led Shanxi to become the first Chinese province to formally integrate "just transition" principles into its government workplan, a model now being adopted by Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang provinces.

The Cities4Forests initiative mobilized $115 million to restore 320,000 acres of forests and watersheds across 15 US states, utilizing innovative financial tools like the Forest Resilience Bond and green bonds. These efforts aim to mitigate the $900 billion in annual losses caused by wildfires, which now burn over 7 million acres annually. Key projects include restoration in the Tahoe National Forest, the Upper Weber River watershed, and around Lake Maumelle, collectively supporting 260 jobs and avoiding over 10 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.