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The workshop focused on leveraging international funds like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) to drive low-carbon investment in Brazil. Key discussions highlighted that a lack of long-term governmental strategic vision and internal organizational cultures in banks act as barriers to green investment. The event presented innovative financial instruments and case studies from Colombia and Mexico to demonstrate how blending concessional finance with private resources and risk mitigation tools can unlock climate-relevant investments.

The document outlines methodological approaches for aligning national mitigation pledges with global temperature targets, discusses the challenges of integrating equity into these pledges, and proposes a minimum list of upfront information to ensure transparency in INDC reporting.

The briefing analyzes the six-year experience of the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) as a 'living laboratory' to offer strategic advice for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It highlights the need for balancing rapid fund deployment with detailed operational guidelines, the importance of evidence-based learning despite costs, and the necessity of clear theories of change for achieving transformational impacts. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for an early definition of risk appetite to avoid limiting investment instruments and the critical role of multi-stakeholder partnerships in project design and implementation.

The authors call for the urgent capitalization of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), suggesting that an injection of finance would signal political commitment and rebuild trust between parties before the 2015 Paris agreement. They highlight the GCF's role in scaling innovative projects, such as the African Risk Capacity insurance mechanism and Chile's MAPS project, and emphasize the need to address the funding gap for adaptation in vulnerable countries. The text echoes calls for capitalization of at least US$10 billion to US$15 billion by November.

A World Resources Institute (WRI) analysis finds that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) could achieve seven to 12 times more environmental benefits for the same budget by combining geographic and benefit-cost targeting for water quality improvements. Currently, only about $335 million of the $5 billion annual federal conservation budget is spent on controlling soil erosion and fertilizer runoff. The analysis shows that nitrogen pollution reductions could increase from 91 million pounds annually at $3.65 per pound to 1.1 billion pounds at $0.30 per pound through optimized targeting. However, technical gaps in identifying cost-effective acres, the voluntary nature of programs, and political resistance to shifting funds act as barriers. WRI recommends quantifying environmental benefits, incorporating benefit-cost principles into planning tools, conducting pilot projects, and revisiting state funding allocation formulas.

Agricultural emissions accounted for approximately 13 percent of total global emissions in 2011, totaling 6 billion tonnes. The primary sources are methane from cattle and nitrous oxide from fertilizers and soil waste, which together comprise 65 percent of the sector's emissions. Global agricultural emissions grew by 8 percent between 1990 and 2010 and are projected to reach nearly 7 billion tonnes per year by 2030, driven largely by population growth and dietary shifts in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Mitigation opportunities include improving crop and grazing management, reducing food loss and waste, and shifting dietary preferences away from meat, particularly beef.

The document outlines the scale and sources of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, identifying the sector as the second largest global emitter. It highlights the role of methane and nitrous oxide, lists the top emitting countries, and discusses the impact of land-use change and dietary shifts. Finally, it presents the GHG Protocol guidelines as a tool for farms to inventory and reduce their carbon footprint through improved production practices and demand-side changes.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) outlines five 'do's and don'ts' for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board to ensure the fund effectively delivers resources for climate mitigation and adaptation. These recommendations cover investment criteria, financial risk management, accreditation of entities, results management, and the proposal approval process, emphasizing the need for a high risk appetite and a balance between top-down and bottom-up proposals to support international climate action ahead of COP 21.

The World Resources Institute outlines six key functions for the 2015 international climate agreement: providing a strong signal for decarbonization, connecting climate goals to national economic priorities, ensuring transparency and accountability, accelerating low-carbon investment, ensuring fairness through equity indicators, and supporting resilience and adaptation for vulnerable populations.

Based on an analysis of 15 other climate and development funds, the World Resources Institute suggests that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) should prioritize ground-up investment possibilities, focus on long-term 'paradigm shift' activities over quick fixes, balance impact-driven allocations with fairness adjustments for low-capacity countries, and maintain a flexible yet predictable funding system.

The briefing argues that while the Green Climate Fund's initial readiness program may be narrowly focused on facilitating access to the Fund, it must eventually address broader enabling conditions—such as policy development and capacity building—to achieve transformational climate-resilient development. It further suggests that the GCF should remain flexible regarding the institutions used to channel readiness funds before the formal accreditation process is complete.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) endorses President Obama's commitment to enact new emissions standards for existing power plants as part of the Climate Action Plan. WRI argues that such standards can drive innovation and economic opportunity, noting that the average U.S. coal plant is nearly 40 years old. The statement emphasizes that U.S. domestic leadership is essential to meeting its international commitment to reduce emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and to securing a universal climate agreement in Paris in 2015.

The CAIT Equity Explorer is an online visualization tool developed by the World Resources Institute to support UNFCCC climate negotiations. It allows users to compare countries using a variety of metrics related to emissions, development capacity, and vulnerability through radar and column charts.

The Beijing Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) reduced CO2 emissions by 4.87 MtCO2 cumulatively between 2013 and 2015, contributing to an earlier emissions peak for the city. The majority of these reductions (98% of power-related cuts) were driven by demand-end management, where companies reduced electricity consumption to meet emission caps, while reductions from power plants within Beijing were negligible. Carbon offsets had no observable impact on allowance prices in the 2014 cycle due to limited supply, particularly of Beijing-originated offsets. The study suggests that a future national ETS should consider including indirect emissions from electricity consumption and implement more stringent caps on direct electricity production to be effective.

The document outlines the ROAM framework, which combines stakeholder engagement and data analysis to identify forest landscape restoration opportunities. It details a three-phase process: preparation and planning, data collection and analysis, and translating results into recommendations. The methodology employs tools for spatial mapping, economic valuation, carbon sequestration modelling, and institutional diagnostics to support national strategies and international commitments like the Bonn Challenge.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reports its internal climate management and GHG emissions for the 2013 reporting year. WRI has established 2020 reduction targets for Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions, supported by an internal carbon fee of $50/mt CO2e on business travel. While Scope 1 and 2 emissions decreased, Scope 3 emissions—particularly from purchased goods and services—increased. WRI identifies reputational and operational risks related to climate change and is piloting primary data collection with its supply chain.

In June 2013, Mexico implemented Latin America's first fuel-efficiency standard for light vehicles, developed with support from EMBARQ Mexico and Centro Mario Molina. The standard mandates a fleet average of 14.9 kilometers per liter by 2016, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by 170 megatons and save consumers $2,700 USD per vehicle over its lifetime. By aligning with U.S. and Canadian regulations, Mexico has harmonized its standards, potentially increasing the global competitiveness of its automotive industry.

The document outlines the foundational elements and strategic considerations for jurisdictions designing mandatory GHG reporting systems. It emphasizes that while design must be context-specific, success depends on a sound legal basis, stakeholder engagement, and sufficient institutional capacity. The paper advocates for a phased approach in developing countries and highlights how these programs can inform mitigation policies and track progress toward national targets by leveraging corporate emissions data.

The paper examines 27 PPCFIs with approximately US$41.3 billion in capitalization, finding a strong bias toward mitigation over adaptation and a preference for established markets over least-developed countries. It identifies significant hurdles in attracting private capital at the fund level, noting that only two of eleven funds aiming for private capital achieved sizeable investment. The authors recommend standardizing processes, increasing private sector awareness, and leveraging the Green Climate Fund to coordinate the fragmented landscape of climate finance.

A briefing by the World Resources Institute (WRI) calling for ASEAN leadership to address recurring fires and haze, using high-resolution satellite data from Riau Province to highlight the scale of illegal burning on peatlands and within company concessions.