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The document argues that national governments can increase the ambition and credibility of their NDCs by integrating subnational data, targets, and policies. It emphasizes that since cities are responsible for over 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, multilevel partnerships are essential for achieving net zero emissions and climate resilience. The guide offers eight recommendations across three stages to facilitate subnational participation in the NDC development process, specifically targeting the 2025 deadline set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The document argues that energy-sector infrastructure, particularly electricity transmission and distribution (T&D), requires alignment with Paris Agreement pathways to avoid carbon lock-in. It identifies a gap in previous energy-sector investment assessments regarding T&D and proposes a methodology to screen projects and inform the investment decisions of development finance institutions.

The paper evaluates the differences between national deforestation estimates reported by REDD+ countries and the Global Forest Change (GFC) data. It finds that GFC data serve as an unbiased proxy for tropical deforestation and are significantly cheaper to produce than national systems, suggesting that adapting global data for national reporting could improve sustainability and comparability.

The document serves as a reference for public sector decision-makers by mapping the financial instruments employed by development financial institutions, export credit agencies, and climate funds. It is derived from a larger WRI working paper focused on how multilateral agencies can leverage private capital for climate-relevant investments in developing countries, emphasizing the need for complementary domestic policies to create attractive market conditions.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) has developed a first-of-its-kind dataset to track the adoption of electric school buses (ESBs) in the United States. The dataset monitors 'committed' ESBs—defined as those with awarded funding or formal purchase agreements—and tracks their progress through four phases: 'awarded,' 'ordered,' 'delivered,' and 'operating.' To facilitate equity analysis, the data includes school district characteristics such as poverty rates, racial composition, air pollution, and locale. Information is gathered from public sources, including news articles, school websites, and datasets from the EPA, U.S. Census, and National Center for Education Statistics, with updates occurring biannually.

The report evaluates how companies are managing 'cutting-edge' climate issues, noting that while GHG target-setting and data verification have become more common, significant barriers remain. It argues that current corporate goals are insufficient for the scale of necessary emission reductions and outlines six strategic actions—including expanding GHG reporting, realigning value chains, and factoring climate risks into long-term investments—to establish a new benchmark for corporate leadership in a low-carbon future.

The report analyzes bus system improvements across 13 cities in Latin America and Asia, highlighting the benefits of bus rapid transit (BRT) such as high usage levels and low capital investment. It identifies recurring failures in planning and implementation, including rushed launches and lack of integration with other transport modes. The document concludes with strategic recommendations for the planning and decision-making phases of urban transport reform.

The document distinguishes between a traditional bioeconomy focused on energy transition and industrial agricultural inputs and a 'bio-ecology bioeconomy' designed for the Amazon. It argues that for the tropical forest biome, the bioeconomy must be a deforestation-free system that integrates economic activity with socio-ecological landscapes, valuing the knowledge of local populations and the role of Amazonian cities in mediating the relationship between society and nature.

The document is a guide for technical staff, consultants, and industry associations on adapting GHG Protocol calculation tools to improve data quality and user adoption.

The paper identifies key elements for enhancing technology transfer and development and evaluates major country positions on these issues. It finds convergence across these positions, specifically identifying four recurring institutional types: central bodies, dedicated funds, regional institutions, and coordinating committees. The author concludes that a combination of these institutional structures is the most effective way to meet the functional needs of a technology agreement.

The analysis identifies 105 cities with populations over one million across 34 Global South countries where electrification is currently a viable low-carbon strategy. Suitability is determined by a minimum 90 percent urban electricity access rate and a carbon intensity of electricity supply below 600 tCO2e/GWh. While all South American cities meet these criteria, suitability is significantly lower in sub-Saharan Africa (3 out of 40 cities) and South and East Asia (26 out of 202 cities).

In the semiarid Caatinga region of Brazil, farmers are adopting agroforestry by integrating native trees, specifically the umbu (Spondias tuberosa), into livestock pastures. This transition is driven by severe climate impacts, including a 50% decline in rainfall in the Jacuípe Drainage Basin since 1962 and increasing desertification. The establishment of the Ser do Sertão cooperative and its Delícias do Jacuípe factory has created a commercial market for umbu pulp, providing farmers with supplemental income that can exceed dairy revenues during the harvest season. Beyond economic gains, these practices help retain soil moisture and provide animal feed during droughts, offering a scalable model for restoring degraded landscapes and ensuring the livelihoods of subsistence farmers.

The document outlines the urgent need for increased financial flows to meet Paris Agreement goals, noting that global mitigation investments must increase by a factor of 36 by 2030 to limit warming to 2°C. It identifies a three-stage process for financing NDCs—planning, implementation, and monitoring—and suggests that governments utilize a mix of financial, fiscal, and policy instruments to mobilize both public and private finance. The report highlights that developing countries face significant gaps, with reported financial needs reaching $4.3 trillion, far exceeding existing pledges.

The document introduces a Green Economy Model (GEM) for India, developed by the World Resources Institute India and KnowlEdge Srl. Based on a 2015 model by Andrea M. Bassi, this system dynamics tool is customized to India's national context, incorporating primary and allied sectors that influence climate change to help inform low-carbon development pathways.

The paper examines the 2008 food crisis and subsequent shocks to understand how vulnerable households in developing countries respond to complex crises. It argues that because household-level impacts manifest similarly regardless of the crisis's origin, there is an opportunity to develop robust, broad-spectrum policy responses.

The paper proposes a 'data loop' framework to improve greenhouse gas emissions reporting through collaboration between governments and the private sector. It argues that transparent, credible data is essential for national climate policies and international reporting under the Paris Agreement. By combining these data loops with 'ambition loops'—feedback cycles that foster more ambitious climate action—governments can leverage mechanisms like carbon pricing and the Science Based Targets initiative to accelerate climate progress, primarily focusing on the Asia region.

The paper examines the data needs for monitoring national forest emission reduction strategies, arguing that tracking metrics beyond just emissions reductions is necessary for effective policy design, securing finance, and domestic decision-making. Using illegal logging in Peru and Indonesia as a focal point, it explores the differences between domestic and international measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) requirements.

The paper analyzes the tension between recipient country ownership and contributor-led accountability in climate finance. It identifies three models of finance delivery: an accountability-emphasized model for fragile or corrupt states, a transitional shared ownership model, and a full recipient ownership model as the ideal goal. The author argues that while many developing countries have strong financial management systems, they often lack robust results management and social safeguards, suggesting that contributors should invest in strengthening national systems rather than creating duplicative international ones.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is experiencing a "crisis of confidence" following an unproductive July 2018 Board meeting and the departure of its Executive Director. To address this, the World Resources Institute (WRI) proposes a more objective, formula-based framework for determining financial contributions based on factors such as gross national income and GHG emissions. Additionally, the paper recommends strengthening the GCF Board's decision-making effectiveness, implementing independent performance reviews, and increasing transparency in the selection of board members to better represent both developed and developing country constituencies.

The report examines the shift from public ownership to private, unbundled utility models in the electricity sector, arguing that these reforms are fundamentally issues of sustainable development. Based on case studies from Argentina, Bulgaria, Ghana, India, Indonesia, and South Africa, the authors find that electricity reforms have been primarily driven by financial concerns and donor conditions rather than social or environmental goals. The document advocates for a reform process that addresses the needs of the 1.7 billion people lacking electricity access and aligns investor incentives with a clean energy future to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.