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1,869 documents from World Resources Institute
Completing the Trip: Establishing a Global Quantified Climate Goal for the Transport Sector
The document argues for a collective global commitment to decarbonize transport through a system approach. It proposes a specific 2035 target consisting of a 35 percent shift to green fuels and a 25 percent reduction in transport energy consumption relative to 2022 levels. This goal is intended to complement the COP28 global stocktake, which called for a transition away from fossil fuels but lacked a quantified target for the transport sector.
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Document type: Briefing
NDC Mitigation Elements
The document outlines the Paris Rulebook's efforts to address transparency gaps in initial NDCs by establishing a detailed list of information required for clarity, transparency, and understanding (CTU). It highlights the adoption of accounting guidance at COP24 to ensure consistent tracking of anthropogenic emissions and removals, which is essential for assessing progress and managing Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs).
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Document type: Guide
Putting the Pieces Together for Good Governance of REDD+
The paper evaluates 32 REDD+ readiness proposals, finding that while there are strong commitments to stakeholder participation and cross-sectoral coordination, significant gaps remain in addressing land tenure, benefit sharing, and vertical coordination. It recommends that countries adopt more integrated approaches, improve the sequencing of readiness activities, and establish transparent domestic tracking systems to ensure governance commitments are implemented.
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Document type: Research paper
Complying with the Kyoto Protocol requirements
The report evaluates the ability of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia to meet Kyoto Protocol requirements, specifically regarding national systems for inventories and Kyoto Mechanisms. It ranks individual country capacities as high, medium, or low, identifies shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration among these Central and Eastern European (CEE) nations, and provides country-specific recommendations for investment, political will, and donor support.
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Document type: Report
Making Finance Consistent with Climate Goals
The document argues that aligning all public and private finance is a necessary condition for meeting the temperature and adaptation goals of the Paris Agreement. It introduces a framework for governments and non-state actors to drive action, track progress, and increase ambition regarding Article 2.1c. To support this, the paper identifies four primary toolsets for governments: financial policies and regulations, fiscal policy levers, public finance, and information instruments. The author emphasizes urgency, noting that the world must reach net-zero emissions within 25 years to limit warming to 1.5°C, and suggests integrating Article 2.1c into UNFCCC processes like the Global Stocktake and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
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Document type: Research paper
Enhancing Today's MRV Framework to Meet Tomorrow's Needs
The document argues that the existing UNFCCC monitoring system requires a significant retrofit and new processes to meet the more specific MRV obligations envisioned in the Bali Action Plan for a post-2012 agreement. It highlights that MRV is essential for the credibility and effectiveness of commitments regarding mitigation actions by developed and developing countries, as well as the associated technology, finance, and capacity-building support.
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Document type: Research paper
Assessing Implementation of China's Climate Policies in the 12th 5-Year Period
The document evaluates China's transition from broad climate goals to a framework of specific policy instruments during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), noting that many targets will likely be exceeded. It recommends three critical actions for the 13th Five-Year Plan: limiting energy and coal consumption, capping greenhouse gas growth, and implementing a national carbon pricing scheme.
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Document type: Research paper
Tracking Progress of the 2020 Climate Turning Point
The document evaluates the world's progress against six sectoral milestones designed to align global action with the 1.5°C goal. It concludes that while some progress has been made, particularly in renewable energy, overall action is insufficient and uneven. The report emphasizes the need for updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and calls for improved data transparency and monitoring systems to accurately track progress and ensure accountability.
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Document type: Executive summary
The Mechanism to Facilitate Implementation and Promote Compliance with the Paris Agreement: Design Options
The document analyzes the design of the Article 15 committee of the Paris Agreement, arguing that its effectiveness depends on balancing three key areas: the referral process for individual Parties, the measures the committee can employ, and the operational guidance defining the committee's discretion.
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Document type: Research paper
Guadalajara: Revisiting Public Space Interventions through the Via RecreActiva
The Via RecreActiva is a weekly event in Guadalajara, Mexico, where over 60 kilometers of streets are closed to cars every Sunday, attracting more than 220,000 people. Since its inception in 2004, the initiative has evolved from a business-led image project into a movement for equitable public space, helping to mobilize civil society and influence municipal governance. This activism contributed to the defeat of the Via Express elevated expressway in 2010 and the eventual rise of the Citizens’ Movement party in 2015. While the program has institutionalized participatory processes and increased investment in nonmotorized mobility, challenges remain regarding gentrification, displacement, and the imbalance between private investment and public needs.
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Document type: Case study
Emissions Reductions Under Pollution Reduction Proposals in the 111th U.S. Congress
The analysis compares the GHG reduction potential of the APA, ACESA, and CLEARA across three scenarios: emissions caps only, caps plus complementary requirements, and a range of potential additional reductions. The APA's emissions caps alone are projected to achieve a 14 percent reduction relative to 2005 levels by 2020 and a 72 percent reduction by 2050. When including complementary requirements and potential additional measures, the APA could reach reductions of up to 19 percent by 2020 and 77 percent by 2050, though the latter depends on the quality and quantity of international offsets. The APA and ACESA are noted to require greater net annual GHG reductions than CLEARA, although the APA's later start year (2013) results in slightly fewer reductions in the first five years compared to the ACESA.
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Document type: Research paper
United States, developing countries, and climate protection
The paper asserts that effective climate protection requires leadership from countries with historical responsibility, specifically the United States. It highlights a contradiction where the U.S. seeks developing country commitments while financing carbon-intensive investments in those nations. The authors propose that the U.S. should foster technical cooperation, support climate-friendly policies that align with economic development, and reduce its own greenhouse gas output to create a catalyst for global action and gain a competitive edge in clean technologies.
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Document type: Research paper
Bottom Line on Energy Savings Certificates
Energy savings certificates (ESCs), also known as white certificates, are tradable credits typically representing one megawatt-hour (MWh) of energy savings. They allow third parties to generate efficiency savings and sell them to utilities to help meet regulatory targets established via Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS) or Renewable Electricity Standards (RES). In the U.S., 21 states have such targets, with Connecticut operating an active market where prices have generally ranged between $20 and $25/MWh. Internationally, programs exist in New South Wales, Italy, Great Britain, and France, with India encouraging a national market. ESCs incentivize efficiency investments by providing an additional revenue stream for commercial and industrial entities.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Power Sector Opportunities Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions Pennsylvania
WRI analysis indicates that Pennsylvania can reduce its power plant CO2 emissions by 21 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 using existing policies and infrastructure. This would meet or exceed moderately ambitious EPA standards, which are estimated to require reductions between 22 and 31 percent. Key opportunities include meeting alternative energy and energy efficiency targets, increasing the use of combined heat and power (CHP) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants, and improving coal plant efficiency.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Aggregating the Impacts of Non-State and Subnational Climate Actions: An Exploration of Methods
The document provides guidance on the methodological assumptions required to aggregate the climate mitigation impacts of cities, businesses, and states. It emphasizes that variations in assumptions—such as the scope of included actions and the degree of conservativeness—significantly influence the credibility and comparability of assessment results. The paper aims to enhance transparency in reporting and support users of the ICAT Non-State and Subnational Action (NSA) Guide and the Climate Action Aggregation Tool (CAAT) in making informed design choices for their assessments.
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Document type: Research paper
Recommended Total Cost of Ownership Parameters for Electric School Buses: Summary of Methods and Data
The document serves as a guide for school districts and fleet operators to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO) for electric school buses (ESBs) versus diesel buses. It addresses the lack of consistent, centralized public data by providing recommended default specifications for parameters including purchase costs, maintenance, fuel economies, and charger installation. The guide also notes the upcoming expiration of the 45W and 30C tax credits due to a July 2025 budget reconciliation bill.
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Document type: Guide
Surveying Risk, Building Opportunity
The report establishes a risk assessment framework for the commercial real estate sector in South and Southeast Asia, focusing on the financial impacts of energy insecurity, water scarcity, and climate change. It highlights that while these risks are increasing due to infrastructure limitations and physical vulnerability, green building investments can mitigate these risks and achieve net positive returns within three years. The analysis specifically examines commercial office buildings in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, with a primary focus on India.
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Document type: Report
Testimony Before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China
The testimony outlines three distinct purposes for energy and climate data systems in China: measuring national-level progress for international commitments and macroeconomic policy, tracking the impact of specific programs and players at sub-national or sectoral levels, and providing public transparency for civil society.
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Document type: Statement
A Summary of Expert Perspectives on Viable Financing Pathways for Electrifying India’s Public Transport
The document outlines key takeaways from the INSIGHT 2022 conference and a related carbon markets workshop, focusing on the financial and regulatory mechanisms needed to electrify India's public transport. It highlights the potential of carbon markets, the success of the Grand Challenge aggregation model, and the need for cross-sectoral collaboration and independent regulatory oversight to manage e-bus procurement and battery lifecycles.
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Document type: Executive summary
The United States is Acting to Combat Climate Change
The document describes federal and state-level efforts in the United States to lower greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the President’s Climate Action Plan and the role of state policies and economic trends in shifting energy production away from coal.
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Document type: Fact sheet