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The World Resources Institute highlights the agreement by 197 parties to the Montreal Protocol in Kigali, Rwanda, to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The amendment aims to reduce global HFC levels by 80 to 85 percent by 2047, potentially avoiding up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global warming by 2100.

The briefing outlines five key priorities for climate finance at COP22: the roadmap to mobilize $100 billion for developing countries by 2020, the establishment of accounting modalities to define what constitutes climate finance, the development of systematic reporting formats for finance provided and received, the need to scale up and balance adaptation finance relative to mitigation, and the potential renewal of the Adaptation Fund's mandate to serve the Paris Agreement.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reported total assets of $108,201,902 and total net assets of $90,746,134 as of September 30, 2016. The organization's total revenue for the 2016 fiscal year was $99,365,271, with total expenses amounting to $89,632,638. An independent audit by Grant Thornton LLP issued an unmodified opinion, stating that the financial statements present fairly the financial position of the Institute and its subsidiaries. The report details WRI's operational focus on six critical issues: Climate, Energy, Food, Forests, Water, and Cities and Transport, supported by a global network and staff across multiple legal entities including WRI India, WRI China, and WRI Europe.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reported total assets of $108,201,902 as of September 30, 2016, with total revenues for that year reaching $99,365,271. The organization operates through several legal entities, including subsidiaries in India, China, and Europe, focusing on critical issues such as climate, energy, food, forests, water, and cities and transport. An independent audit by Grant Thornton LLP concluded that the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Institute and its subsidiaries.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly on September 20, 2016, Manish Bapna proposed three priorities for the Open Government Partnership: integrating climate and governance agendas, upholding governance standards to protect civic space, and expanding the open government movement to include subnational governments and a wider array of civil society groups.

The paper finds that climate actions across examined INDCs align with 154 of the 169 SDG targets, demonstrating significant potential for mutual benefits between climate and development agendas. While global alignment is high, the authors note that few countries explicitly referenced SDGs in their INDCs, often due to separate institutional oversight between environment and development ministries. Case studies of Colombia and Uganda show high goal-level alignment, though target-level alignment varies based on national priorities. The document advocates for a 'whole-of-government' approach to maximize resources and avoid implementation silos.

The 2016 External Review concludes that the World Resources Institute (WRI) is making strong progress in implementing its 2014-2017 Strategic Plan, with 89 of 96 specific statements of intent rated as 'on track' or 'achieved'. The review highlights WRI's success as a global 'think and do' tank, particularly in its research excellence, the development of open-data platforms like Global Forest Watch and Aqueduct, and its influence on the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. While WRI has successfully expanded its global footprint with offices in Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia, the review identifies challenges in securing unrestricted funding, strengthening internal communications, and fully integrating poverty and gender perspectives into programmatic design. It also notes the effectiveness of WRI's matrix management structure, though it suggests further investment in management training to reduce transaction costs and improve coordination.

The briefing identifies three key indicators that would signal the G20's commitment to the post-Paris climate era: a clear target date for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, the promotion of green finance through climate-related financial risk disclosure, and the collective ratification of the Paris Agreement by the end of 2016.

The World Resources Institute developed Global Forest Watch Water (GFW Water) to provide a public database and mapping tool for 230 major global watersheds. The tool assesses watershed health by scoring four primary risks—recent forest loss, historical forest loss, erosion, and fire—within the context of baseline water stress. It aims to support downstream beneficiaries, financing institutions, and researchers in implementing natural infrastructure, such as forest protection and restoration, to enhance water security and quality. The document details the underlying hydrologic science, the specific spatial data sets used (including Landsat imagery and the RUSLE erosion model), and the normalization process used to generate risk scores from 1 to 5.

The briefing identifies six critical challenges to connecting climate action and sustainable development: creating a unified national narrative, developing integrated planning and policies, ensuring institutional coherence, adopting a whole-of-society approach, reforming finance, and aligning monitoring and reporting systems. It emphasizes that because climate change impacts development and the sectors driving development are the same as those critical for mitigation, treating these agendas as separate risks undermining both. The document highlights examples of integrated strategies in Ethiopia, Colombia, France, Gabon, and Bangladesh, while calling for a shift from fragmented bureaucratic silos toward systemic transformation and inclusive governance.

The document outlines a framework for designing the global stocktake, a periodic review process under the Paris Agreement. It proposes four critical areas of focus for the Ad hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA): determining the necessary information inputs, establishing operational modalities to ensure transparency and accountability, defining the outputs required to inform future actions, and ensuring the process effectively drives increased climate ambition and implementation support.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) argues that a CMU study underestimated the environmental benefits of low-meat diets because it failed to account for land-use change, grouped beef with more efficient meats like pork, and modeled 'healthy' scenarios that actually increased total animal-based food intake. WRI asserts that shifting to realistic vegetarian diets can reduce per capita land use and greenhouse gas emissions by approximately half.

The briefing outlines six key drivers for companies successfully adopting science-based emissions targets: a history of meeting previous goals, a strong business case, alignment with climate science, company-wide employee engagement, stakeholder demand for sustainability, and business-specific strategies. Examples include Pfizer's energy projects saving $150 million annually and Coca-Cola Enterprises exceeding its 2011 emissions reduction target.

The document analyzes the Paris Agreement's achievements and outlines a detailed pathway for operationalizing its ten core elements: mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, finance, technology transfer, capacity building, transparency, global stocktake, compliance, and cooperative approaches. It emphasizes the need for clear accounting rules, scaled-up finance, and robust transparency frameworks to ensure environmental integrity and increase ambition over time.

Illinois can achieve 75% of its Clean Power Plan target by following existing clean energy policies and improving fossil plant efficiency, and can exceed the target by expanding efficiency and renewable standards.

The document argues that global diets are converging toward resource-intensive Western styles, which threatens environmental sustainability and human health. Using the GlobAgri model, the authors demonstrate that reducing calorie and protein overconsumption among wealthy populations can significantly spare agricultural land and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The paper introduces the 'Shift Wheel' framework to help the food industry implement these dietary changes through behavioral and marketing strategies.

The World Resources Institute has developed the Restoration Diagnostic to help countries and landscapes move from restoration commitments to action. By analyzing 16 global case studies, WRI identified three essential themes for success: clear motivation, enabling conditions, and capacity/resources for sustained implementation. The Diagnostic and its accompanying Excel-based Assessment Tool allow stakeholders to identify missing success factors and determine the policies and incentives needed to trigger restoration at scale.

The World Resources Institute asserts that the U.S. Supreme Court's pause on the Clean Power Plan (CPP) is a temporary measure and that the policy remains legally sound and economically beneficial. The CPP is identified as a critical tool for the U.S. to meet its goal of reducing emissions 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. According to EPA estimates, the plan's health and economic benefits, valued between $25 billion and $65 billion, significantly outweigh the compliance costs of $7 billion to $9 billion. The document notes that many states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Missouri, are already positioned to meet or exceed their targets through existing clean energy policies and infrastructure. Furthermore, it highlights a broader trend of climate action among U.S. cities, such as New York and Chicago, and major corporations like Walmart and Microsoft, while urging global adherence to the Paris Agreement.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) responds to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to temporarily halt the Clean Power Plan. WRI asserts that the plan is on solid legal ground and is essential for reducing power sector carbon dioxide emissions by an average of 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The organization emphasizes that the plan supports a low-carbon economy, drives innovation, and improves public health, noting that renewable energy is often now cheaper than traditional fuels.

Nigel Sizer reviews five years leading WRI's forest program, highlighting the creation of Global Forest Watch and the Global Restoration Initiative. He notes the role of technology in monitoring deforestation and the commitment of private sector companies to deforestation-free supply chains. Looking forward, he identifies the need for scalable solutions, improved certification standards, and expanded land rights for indigenous communities and poor farmers.