Search Climate Insights Directory

This working paper details a pilot project to develop and implement a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions survey tool for the Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP), providing a model and guide for other faith actors to measure and reduce their environmental impact.

This briefing, based on a March 2012 workshop by the World Resources Institute and the DOEN Foundation, identifies four core business strategies used by 25 socially oriented energy enterprises to deliver renewable energy to low-income, rural communities in developing countries.

This working paper details the methodology for creating the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, a global database and interactive tool designed to translate complex hydrological data into intuitive water-related risk indicators for decision-makers.

The Land Disturbance Alert Classification System (LDACS) is a global data set that enhances NASA's DIST-ALERT system to classify vegetation disturbances into four categories: potential land conversion, fire-related, water-related, and cropland dynamics. Specifically targeting underrepresented non-forest ecosystems, 2023 global data shows cropland dynamics comprise one-third of disturbances, while land conversion is 4%. The system achieved 87% accuracy in initial validation within Brazil's Cerrado biome.

This fact sheet from the World Resources Institute analyzes the decline of coal in the U.S. electric power system, arguing that market forces rather than environmental regulations are the primary drivers of coal plant retirements.

This research paper examines the role of economic valuation in improving the understanding and implementation of Watershed Development (WSD) in India. Using a case study of a project in Maharashtra implemented by the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), the paper demonstrates the potential for positive net present value and benefit-cost ratios in WSD, while highlighting significant gaps in data consistency and the under-valuation of non-market co-benefits and climate change adaptation.

This paper introduces the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), a climate finance target to be adopted at COP29 in 2024. It explains that the NCQG will build upon the previous $100 billion annual commitment (established in 2009 and extended to 2025) to better address the needs of developing countries. The document outlines that negotiations, which began at COP25 in 2019, are currently focusing on the goal's quantity, quality, transparency, scope, timeframe, and contributor base.

A World Resources Institute working paper surveying academic and policy proposals to build a post-2012 international climate change regime, focusing on five key design issues including ambition, mitigation sharing, performance tracking, and legal form.

A World Resources Institute (WRI) fact sheet analyzing how Michigan can utilize existing state policies and infrastructure to reduce power sector CO2 emissions and meet future U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

This guide by the World Resources Institute provides a framework for countries to describe the fairness and ambition of their intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) ahead of COP21. It suggests a descriptive narrative using quantitative and qualitative indicators to enhance international transparency, comparability, and trust.

This working paper examines how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and individual states can utilize section 111 of the Clean Air Act to establish performance standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants and industrial facilities, specifically exploring the viability of market-based cap-and-trade mechanisms.

This guide, produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI), provides non-technical staff at small and medium-sized office-based organizations with practical steps to measure and reduce CO2 emissions, drawing on WRI's own reduction commitments and the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.

Voice and Choice is an interim report by the Access Initiative that evaluates the global state of environmental access rights. It finds that while legal frameworks for freedom of information and public participation have expanded in over 69 countries, practical implementation lags due to vested interests, systemic information gaps, and capacity constraints. The report provides arguments for reform based on human rights and governance quality and offers recommendations for governments and advocates to strengthen environmental democracy.

This working paper proposes an eight-point action plan to help Mexico implement its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) targets, focusing on climate and energy policy options that balance emission reductions with economic competitiveness and energy security.

This case study examines the HighNoon project in north India to determine how adaptation-relevant information, derived from regional climate and hydrological models and stakeholder perspectives, can be effectively packaged and disseminated to users at state, district, and block levels to support decision-making regarding hydrological extreme events.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute outlines the challenges and necessary actions required to advance the Paris Agreement's goals of achieving a zero-carbon and resilient world.

This guide explains how U.S. cities and electric utilities can use partnership agreements to align their climate and energy goals, providing a framework for long-term collaboration and implementation tips based on the experiences of several U.S. cities.

A case study on Bangladesh's vulnerability to natural hazards and the implementation of its Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP).

This briefing by the World Resources Institute analyzes the trade-offs between water use and greenhouse gas emissions in China's power sector. It finds that energy efficiency is the most cost-effective way to reduce both, while highlighting that some low-carbon technologies, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), significantly increase water consumption. The report recommends regional planning to avoid placing water-intensive technologies in water-stressed areas and the establishment of national and local water withdrawal quotas.

This working paper examines zero-emission delivery zones (ZEDZs)—areas restricting unrestricted access to zero-emission delivery vehicles—as a tool to mitigate the environmental and health impacts of urban freight in U.S. and Netherlands cities.