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The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework is criticized for cutting up to a trillion dollars in climate and clean energy spending compared to the American Jobs Plan. Key omissions include large-scale electric vehicle incentives, building energy efficiency retrofits, direct renewable energy deployment, and industrial decarbonization. The author contends these gaps make it impossible for the U.S. to reach its 2030 greenhouse gas reduction goals and suggests using budget reconciliation to restore these investments.

The report analyzes how a $55 billion annual federal investment in clean energy and land restoration could generate nearly 260,000 rural jobs and $21.7 billion in annual value added for rural US economies. It identifies seven priority investment pathways: renewable energy, energy efficiency, grid modernization (transmission, distribution, and storage), environmental remediation of fossil fuel sites, tree restoration on federal and non-federal lands, and wildfire risk management. The analysis emphasizes that nearly 45% of these jobs would benefit economically disadvantaged rural counties. The document provides specific state-level data and proposes federal policy vehicles, such as tax credits and grant programs, to catalyze these investments.

The Municipality of Rosario, Argentina, established the Urban Agriculture Program (PAU) in 2002 to combat food scarcity and unemployment following the 2001 economic crisis. The program provides low-income residents access to underutilized land for agroecological production, creating livelihoods for nearly 300 urban farmers, 65% of whom are women. Beyond social benefits, the program reduces greenhouse gas emissions by localizing food production and improves urban resilience to flooding by enhancing soil absorbency. The initiative has been institutionalized through the 2015 Green Belt Project, which designated 800 hectares of peri-urban land for agriculture, and is integrated into the city's strategic and environmental plans.

The briefing evaluates the virtual UN Climate Change subsidiary bodies sessions, noting that while substantive discussions occurred, significant divides between developed and developing nations persisted. Key areas of limited progress include the Paris Agreement Rulebook, carbon markets under Article 6, and the delivery of climate finance. The document highlights logistical hurdles of virtual negotiations and a perceived imbalance in the agenda, which sidelined critical issues like loss and damage and the global goal on adaptation, leaving substantial political and technical work for COP26 in Glasgow.

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) uses road fees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and toxic air pollution, which disproportionately affect low-income and non-white residents. Integrated with broader clean mobility measures, the ULEZ has significantly reduced the number of polluting vehicles in central London and lowered NO2 concentrations. The program is supported by financial funds to help low-income residents and small businesses transition to compliant vehicles, with the goal of reducing air pollution exposure disparities by 85% by 2030.

The analysis of 29 long-term climate strategies reveals a general commitment to Paris Agreement goals and a growing trend toward 'net-zero' targets regardless of a country's economic development. While these strategies typically include mitigation modeling, near-term targets, and considerations for a just transition, the paper notes that many nations still need to submit strategies or require support for implementation.

The paper argues that while DFIs have focused on aligning direct project financing, they must also address 'indirect' investments via financial intermediaries to meet global climate goals. It proposes a four-pillar framework—mitigation, adaptation, governance, and transparency—implemented in two phases over a maximum of five years. The framework suggests sector-specific exclusion lists, physical climate risk screenings, institutional climate governance, and TCFD-aligned reporting. It also recommends a risk-tailored approach to investment instruments, suggesting that general purpose loans and equity be restricted to FIs already meeting alignment criteria, while special purpose vehicles (SPVs) can be used for clients committed to the principle of alignment but lacking immediate capacity.

The Kibera Public Space Project, led by the Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), transforms dumpsites and wastelands into a network of multifunctional public spaces to build flood resilience in Nairobi's largest informal settlement. By integrating drainage, gabions, and early-warning systems, the project protects vulnerable households from increasing rainfall risks exacerbated by climate change. The initiative emphasizes community co-design and has successfully advocated for the integration of Kibera into formal city planning through a Special Planning Area approved in 2020.

Following a 2010 tragedy, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec) launched DistritoTec in 2014, a district-scale regeneration project in Monterrey, Mexico. The initiative focused on co-creating a shared vision with local residents and business owners to reverse decades of urban sprawl and population decline. By implementing mixed-use development, affordable housing, and 'complete streets'—including over three kilometers of improved pedestrian and cycling infrastructure—the project increased the district's population by 56% and reduced uninhabited homes by 27% between 2010 and 2020. The model, which emphasizes low-carbon mobility and community-led governance through the Neighborhood Council of DistritoTec, is now being replicated in three other districts within the city.

The World Resources Institute critiques the World Bank Group's draft Climate Change Action Plan, asserting it falls short of the urgency required by the Paris Agreement. The briefing recommends that the World Bank Group implement a numeric emissions cap, phase out fossil fuel financing—specifically natural gas—and prioritize climate resilience through better project design and staffing. It further suggests improving climate finance reporting to measure actual impact rather than just financial inputs and providing more technical resources to low- and middle-income countries to help them develop projects that move beyond 'business-as-usual' development.

WRI Brasil evaluates President Jair Bolsonaro's announcement to advance Brazil's climate neutrality goal to 2050. While acknowledging the gesture, the statement argues that the 2030 emission targets are less ambitious in absolute terms due to base-year adjustments and that the promises of zero illegal deforestation by 2030 contradict the administration's recent relaxation of law enforcement and removal of such targets from the 2020 NDC.

The document advocates for replacing the approximately 480,000 diesel-powered school buses in the United States with zero-emission electric alternatives. It highlights that while electric buses have higher initial procurement costs—nearly triple those of diesel buses—they offer lower operational and maintenance costs, saving schools an estimated $2,000 in fuel and $4,400 in maintenance annually. The author supports the Clean Commute for Kids Act, which proposes $25 billion over 10 years, and the American Jobs Plan, which aims to electrify at least 20% of the fleet with a $20 billion investment. The transition is framed as a necessity for public health, as diesel exhaust is a known carcinogen and pollution levels inside buses can be 10 times ambient levels, negatively impacting children's lung development and cognitive performance. Furthermore, the document asserts that this shift would address racial and economic inequities, as communities of color in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions face 66% higher exposure to vehicle air pollution than white residents, and would stimulate domestic manufacturing jobs at companies like Blue Bird in Georgia and Thomas Built in North Carolina.

Andrew Steer reflects on his nine-year tenure as leader of the World Resources Institute (WRI), outlining the organizational strategies and lessons learned to effectively drive global environmental and climate change.

The briefing argues that the Leaders Summit on Climate should be used to secure a 50% emissions reduction target from the US by 2030, align the 2030 targets of major economies like China and Japan with net-zero trajectories, increase climate finance for developing nations while ending public coal funding, and ensure COVID-19 recovery packages prioritize green infrastructure over fossil fuels.

The briefing examines the risks and requirements for corporate financing of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in the context of net-zero commitments. It proposes a shift from traditional offsetting—where companies might choose to pay for reductions elsewhere rather than reducing their own emissions—to a 'counterbalancing' approach. Under this model, companies must first comply with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to ensure they are on a 1.5°C trajectory across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions before using NBS credits. On the supply side, the document advocates for the 'jurisdictional approach' over project-based credits to better manage risks like leakage, permanence, and additionality, highlighting the ART/TREES standard as a robust framework for ensuring environmental and social integrity.

Colombia is integrating just transition principles into national planning documents and partnerships with the ILO and UNDP, aiming for a national strategy by 2023. However, the country faces a tension between these goals and its continued economic reliance on coal exports and fossil fuel revenues to fund its peace process.

The Scottish Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (2016–2019) provided grants of up to £4,000 to help workers in the declining oil and gas sector transition to new employment. Managed by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the program supported 4,272 workers, achieving high employment rates, although approximately half of those re-employed remained within the oil and gas industry. The program's success informed the subsequent £25 million National Transition Training Fund launched in 2020 to support workers in declining sectors and promote green jobs for a net-zero economy.

The Mátra Power Plant in northern Hungary is implementing a strategy to phase out lignite by 2029 by integrating solar PV, biomass, and a green industrial park. This approach aims to preserve between 6,800 and 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in a region with lower-than-average GDP. While the plant has successfully installed over 40 MW of solar PV and established an industrial park with 23 firms, it faces challenges including financial losses due to EU CO2 prices, a reliance on EU subsidies for restructuring, and a lack of documented training plans for transitioning coal workers.

The Noor Solar Power Station, a large-scale concentrated solar power plant in Morocco, implemented a Social Development Plan and local content targets to benefit surrounding communities. While the project successfully created jobs and improved infrastructure, it faced challenges regarding water availability concerns and ineffective communication with local residents due to language and literacy barriers.

Enel, Italy's largest power utility, has implemented a just transition framework and the Futur-e program to repurpose 23 power plants and one mine by 2030. The strategy focuses on avoiding layoffs through social dialogue with trade unions, early retirement incentives, and reskilling programs. While Enel reports that all affected workers from closed sites were voluntarily relocated as of 2019, the program faces challenges regarding the economic feasibility of site redevelopment and indirect socio-economic impacts on local communities.