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The document examines the vulnerability of coffee production in Coto Brus, Costa Rica, where climate change threatens the viability of Arabica coffee. It identifies key resilience factors—such as producer cooperatives, peer-to-peer learning, and intersectoral alliances—and provides six recommendations for adaptation, including monitoring impact and exploring transformational shifts to alternative crops. It also highlights regional best practices from Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico.

The WRI Investment Policy outlines the management of its portfolio, which includes a Permanent Endowment, Board Designated Working Capital Reserve, and Working Capital. The policy mandates the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and impact factors to maximize long-term risk-adjusted returns and align with the Paris Agreement. It defines a governance structure involving the Board, Finance and Investment Committee, an Investment Advisor (OCIO), and Investment Managers. Key restrictions include a goal to be 100% fossil fuel free by excluding investments in the exploration, drilling, refining, or production of oil, natural gas, and coal.

The paper argues that while existing climate services primarily support short-term farming decisions, they must be expanded to include decadal and long-term projections to guide transformative adaptation—significant systemic changes to agricultural production. A review of 253 national documents found that only 2.7% describe transformative applications of CS. The authors recommend integrating long-term climate data with crop models and socioeconomic factors to identify viability thresholds and map adaptation pathways, while emphasizing the need to modernize National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and ensure equitable access for marginalized farmers.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) and its subsidiaries reported total assets of $261,740,321 as of September 30, 2020, an increase from $169,995,735 in 2019. The organization's total operating revenues for the 2020 fiscal year were $235,894,882, with total operating expenses of $143,915,998. Independent auditors Grant Thornton LLP issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements and confirmed compliance with the major federal program identified as the USAID Hay Tao Program. WRI's work focuses on seven critical issues: Climate, Energy, Food, Forests, Water, Cities and Ocean, supported by disciplinary centers in Business, Economics, Finance, and Governance. The organization maintains a donor-restricted endowment of $25 million (cost basis) and operates regional offices in China and Africa, as well as subsidiaries in India and Europe.

The author describes the 2020 wildfires in the Western United States as a manifestation of climate feedback loops, where hotter and drier conditions lead to forest diebacks and fires that release more carbon dioxide, further accelerating climate change. He emphasizes that while state-level policies in California, Oregon, and Washington are strong, federal intervention is necessary to reduce overall emissions and increase resilience. Specifically, he advocates for the use of prescribed burns during winter to prevent uncontrollable blazes and calls for national investment in clean energy and tree restoration.

Environmental organizations, including the World Resources Institute and Ceres, are calling on US financial regulators to urgently address climate-related financial risks. They highlight a report by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) which identifies risks stemming from climate-driven damage to infrastructure and assets, as well as the failure of financial institutions to adapt to a net-zero-carbon transition.

Andrew Steer, President and CEO of the World Resources Institute (WRI), issued a statement mourning the death of Ted Halstead, the Founder and CEO of the Climate Leadership Council, who died following a hiking accident. Steer highlighted Halstead's role in building a bipartisan coalition to advance climate policy through carbon pricing and committed WRI to continuing these efforts.

The document advocates for a circular economy to replace the linear "take-make-waste" model, which currently results in over 60% of the 100 billion tons of resources flowing into the economy annually ending up as waste or emissions. It proposes three pathways for transition: consuming less, consuming better through sustainable choices and sharing platforms, and implementing systemic changes such as designing products for longevity and introducing policy incentives for recycled materials. The guide highlights that circularity in five key sectors could reduce CO2 emissions by 3.7 billion tons by 2050 and presents a $4.5 trillion economic opportunity.

The paper analyzes how Bangladesh, Malabon City (Philippines), and Cartagena (Colombia) have integrated climate adaptation into coastal development to bridge the 'implementation gap' between planning and action. It identifies key success factors including political will, legislative mandates, access to credible climate data, and the allocation of domestic funding. While Bangladesh has seen significant reductions in cyclone casualties and Colombia has leveraged private sector leadership, challenges such as political instability, fragmented information, and insufficient funding persist across the studied regions.

Nav Jivan Hospital in India's Palamu district installed a 10-kilowatt peak (kWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) system in January 2020 to combat erratic electric supply and voltage fluctuations. This system provides reliable power for critical intensive care unit (ICU) equipment, including ventilators for COVID-19 patients, reducing the hospital's dependence on expensive and polluting diesel generators. The case highlights a broader systemic issue in India, where as of 2019, at least 30% of sub-centers in 14 states lacked electricity connections, and nearly 800 primary health centers operated without power.

The document outlines a framework for countries to develop comprehensive net-zero targets, emphasizing the need for deep decarbonization, the use of carbon removals, and the importance of just transitions. It argues that targets should cover all greenhouse gases and sectors, be legally binding where possible, and be supported by transparent communication and stakeholder engagement to drive near- and midterm climate action.

As of July 2020, 19 countries and the European Union have adopted net-zero targets. The document compares these targets across several dimensions: the coverage of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and domestic sectors, the target year for achievement, whether separate emissions reduction targets exist, the use of international GHG mitigation, and the legal status of the targets.

The document argues that the United States can decouple economic growth from carbon emissions, as evidenced by a 25 percent increase in real GDP and a 12 percent fall in energy-related CO2 emissions between 2005 and 2018. It highlights that clean energy is more labor-intensive than fossil fuels, with $1 million spent on renewables or energy efficiency generating 7–8 jobs compared to 2–3 for fossil fuels. The paper emphasizes the falling costs of solar, wind, and battery technologies, noting that new clean energy portfolios are often cheaper than operating existing coal plants. It also discusses the potential for revitalizing rural communities through renewable energy and the necessity of a fair transition for fossil fuel workers to ensure social equity.

The document outlines a framework for establishing comprehensive net-zero targets, emphasizing the need for all-sector and all-gas coverage, the setting of separate emissions reduction targets to avoid over-reliance on carbon removals, and the importance of transparent communication and participatory design processes.

The '100 Questions for Air Quality' initiative, led by GovLab and the World Resources Institute, convened 100 global experts to prioritize a data and data science agenda for air quality. The process revealed that the primary challenge is not a lack of data or research, but rather the need to utilize existing knowledge to drive political action and investment in air quality solutions.

The document argues that COVID-19 recovery offers a political opportunity to implement greener, more livable cities by prioritizing 'shovel-ready' decarbonization projects and non-motorized transport. It emphasizes that urban recovery must address social vulnerabilities, specifically by integrating informal settlements and workers into planning to ensure equity. The text highlights the critical role of public transport as the 'backbone of mobility' and calls for improved direct access to international finance for cities to bridge the gap between national recovery packages and local needs.

The document outlines a methodology for companies to set water targets based on local catchment contexts rather than just direct operations. Using Cargill as a case study, it details a process of prioritizing value chain sections, assessing risks via the Aqueduct tool suite, and setting proportional targets. Cargill committed to restoring 600 billion liters of water and reducing five million kilograms of pollutants.

The document argues for a 'One Health' approach to prevent future pandemics by protecting ecosystem integrity and stopping the illegal wildlife trade, noting that 70% of new emerging diseases are zoonotic. It advocates for systemic recovery strategies, including 'farm-to-fork' agricultural approaches and sustainable supply chains for commodities like coffee, cocoa, and cotton. The text emphasizes the need for 'do no harm' standards in recovery investments, the scaling of green finance—citing that mangrove investments can yield $7 in economic benefits for every dollar spent—and the alignment of biodiversity goals with the Paris Agreement's NDCs and the Convention on Biological Diversity's 2030 goals.

The document examines the role of local and community-based adaptation (CBA) in addressing climate risks, emphasizing that while local actions are often the most cost-effective and socially acceptable, they are frequently hindered by top-down planning and insufficient financing. It proposes a shift toward locally led processes that integrate indigenous knowledge, devolved financing, and multi-stakeholder governance to achieve sustainable and equitable resilience.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) condemns systemic racism and police brutality in the United States, specifically citing the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery. WRI President & CEO Andrew Steer argues that government leaders must address the gross inequality underlying these issues. WRI acknowledges that the environmental movement has historically failed to address these disparities and commits to ensuring that solutions for climate change, environmental degradation, and extreme poverty benefit disproportionately impacted communities of color.