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Denmark's power sector shifted from 3% renewable generation in 1990 to over 80% by 2020, driven by a 24-fold increase in wind capacity and a 76% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. This transformation resulted from sustained R&D investment, feed-in tariffs, streamlined institutional planning via the Danish Energy Agency, strong international grid interconnection, and community ownership models. The government has set ambitious 2030 targets, including 100% renewable electricity generation, supported by a social safety net and dialogues with unions to ensure a fair transition for fossil fuel workers.

Costa Rica's 2019 National Decarbonization Plan established a midcentury net-zero target covering all greenhouse gases and sectors, except international shipping and aviation. The plan utilized a backcasting approach divided into three phases: foundations (2018–22), inflection (2023–30), and massive deployment (2031–50). This robust framework attracted nearly $1 billion in funding from the International Monetary Fund and Inter-American Development Bank, which incentivized the administration of President Rodrigo Chaves to maintain climate objectives despite a campaign focused on changing course from the previous government. Current priorities include the operationalization of 1,000 electric buses and agricultural emissions reduction, with a strategic shift toward attracting large-scale finance for specific sectors.

The document describes how South Africa's Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), situated within the Presidency, facilitates a just transition through a multi-stakeholder approach involving government, business, labor, civil society, and traditional leadership. It highlights the development of the Just Transition Framework, adopted by the Cabinet in August 2022, which was created through extensive evidence gathering, public workshops, community consultations, and expert essays to ensure the process was inclusive and tailored to those most impacted by the shift from fossil fuel-based economies.

WRI Indonesia's Cities4Forests initiative helped Jakarta implement two new regulations in 2021 regarding tree management and park provision. This collaboration led to the creation of 54 new urban parks since 2022 and the planting of over 65,000 urban trees, specifically targeting underserved areas to mitigate air pollution, extreme heat, and flooding.

The São Paulo Complete Streets Network, a partnership between WRI and the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety, supported Brazilian cities in redesigning infrastructure to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users. Between 2020 and 2023, ten cities in São Paulo implemented measures such as expanded sidewalks, cycle lanes, and reduced speed limits. These efforts contributed to a shift where the crash mortality rate in these cities fell below the state average of São Paulo in 2022, compared to 2021 when it was higher.

WRI implemented over 30 nature-based projects in Mumbai, Kochi, and Jaipur, including urban farming and water-body restoration, to combat climate risks like urban flooding and extreme heat. These initiatives, which included a school-based gardening project in Mumbai scaling to 250 schools and an urban farm at Jaipur Central Jail, led to the establishment of India's first national-level forum on urban nature-based solutions to share best practices and scale these approaches across Indian cities.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) supported forest conservation in Madagascar through the deployment of the Forest Watcher app and research leading to the UNESCO World Heritage designation of the Andrefana Dry Forests. The app enabled park rangers to respond to satellite-based alerts, contributing to a significant reduction in fire points in Kirindy Mité National Park. Additionally, WRI's data analysis and nomination dossier led to the official UNESCO designation of the Andrefana Dry Forests in September 2023.

The U.S. clean energy sector saw record growth in 2023, particularly in solar installations and EV sales, supported by the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. However, the transition faces significant headwinds from rising interest rates, supply chain shortages for transformers, and a lagging transmission system. To meet 2035 carbon-free electricity goals, annual renewable installation rates must nearly double, and transmission capacity may need to double or triple.

The document analyzes the current state of electricity markets in India, noting that while power exchanges (PX) are growing, they only account for 7% of total demand. It identifies key barriers to market adoption, including the dominance of inflexible long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), unpredictable market clearing prices, and inaccurate supply-demand forecasting. The paper highlights that states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu could achieve significant fuel cost savings by shifting from PPAs to day-ahead markets (DAMs). It recommends redesigning PPA structures, introducing contracts for differences (CFDs), strengthening institutional market monitoring, and developing state-level resource adequacy frameworks to better integrate variable renewable energy.

This summary report details the outcomes of the High-Level Think Tank Seminar on Energy and Climate Change held in Beijing on April 25-26, 2024. The event brought together representatives from China and the United States to discuss decarbonization strategies, methane reduction, energy efficiency, carbon capture, and climate finance, while coordinating positions for COP29 and COP30.

The April 2024 China-US High-Level Dialogue in Beijing served as a venue for experts to discuss decarbonization strategies and identify collaboration opportunities despite challenging national-level relations. Key discussions focused on the differing sources of methane emissions, the scaling of CCUS and renewable energy, and the need for interoperable standards in trade and corporate disclosure. Both nations emphasized the importance of subnational cooperation and the role of the Sunnylands Statement in guiding joint efforts toward COP 29 and COP 30.

The document establishes the conceptual foundations for an exploratory paper on disability rights and justice during the transition to electric school buses. It defines disability justice (DJ) and environmental justice (EJ) as frameworks rooted in the experiences of marginalized communities and people of color. It expands the definition of 'accessible school buses' beyond wheelchair lifts to include sensory and comfort-based features. Additionally, it details the four primary types of school buses (A, B, C, and D) and their capacities for ADA lift integration, while outlining the legal protections provided by the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and IDEA.

The 'Next Stop, Access! Before You Read' toolkit defines key terms and frameworks used in a research paper on the transition to electric school buses. It explains 'disability justice' and 'environmental justice' as lenses to focus on communities most impacted by climate change. The document details the types of school buses (A, B, C, and D), the concept of universal design, and the legal protections for people with disabilities in the US, such as the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and IDEA. It also introduces 'intersectionality' to describe how overlapping identities, such as race and disability, affect a person's experiences and access to resources.

The briefing outlines the potential of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to remove billions of tons of CO2 annually, categorizing methods into biological (e.g., seaweed sinking) and abiotic (e.g., alkalinity enhancement) processes. It highlights a funding gap between land-based and ocean-based CDR, noting that while the U.S. government has established strategies through NOAA and the White House, more substantial investment is needed. The document lists current federal initiatives, proposed legislation like the Carbon Dioxide Removal Research and Development Act of 2023, and private sector activity from companies such as Microsoft and Shopify to advocate for a robust scientific foundation for responsible deployment.

The STAND Initiative addresses the security risks faced by grassroots environmental defenders (GEDs), such as criminalization and physical attacks, which are often driven by poor enforcement of human rights and environmental laws. The initiative provides capacity building, a small grant fund, and collaborative partnerships to enhance advocacy skills and protection measures in Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Liberia.

The Solidarity for Environmental Defenders (STAND) initiative, a partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Alliance for Land, Indigenous, and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED), provides support to local environmental defenders (LEDs) who face threats, criminalization, and violence. The initiative focuses on capacity building, financial support through a Small Grants Fund for Defenders, and the creation of collaborative partnerships to improve legal accountability and security for defenders in countries with weak governance or high extractive activity. The program operates in Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Liberia.

The Standing Together for Environmental Defenders (STAND) initiative, led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Alliance for Land, Indigenous, and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED), addresses the security risks faced by grassroots environmental defenders (GEDs). These defenders often face criminalization, physical attacks, and murder, particularly in regions dependent on natural resource extraction. STAND implements a strategy based on co-created training in advocacy and legal accountability, the Defender Small Grant Fund (DSGF) for evidence-based advocacy, and collaborative partnerships to strengthen solidarity networks. The initiative focuses its efforts on Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Liberia.

The STAND Initiative, a partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Alliance for Land, Indigenous, and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED), aims to protect environmental and territory defenders who face threats such as criminalization, physical aggression, and murder. Operating in Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Liberia, the initiative focuses on strengthening prevention strategies for underserved communities and civil society organizations. Its strategy comprises three main pillars: capacity building to improve advocacy and legal accountability, the Defender Seed Grant Fund (DSGF) providing small grants for evidence-based advocacy, and the creation of collaborative alliances to strengthen local solidarity networks and increase government and private sector accountability.

LandMark is a global platform that maps Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' lands to support land rights advocacy. A 2024 redesign expanded its map coverage to over 30% of the world's land and introduced new analytical tools focusing on biodiversity and climate change mitigation, specifically tracking forest greenhouse gas fluxes and intersections with key biodiversity areas. The platform provides evidence used in legal battles for land recognition in Suriname and the Philippines, and supports national reporting for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

In 2024, WRI supported over 150 U.S. cities and counties in accelerating clean energy deployment and helped over 60 cities claim more than $12 million in tax credits via the Inflation Reduction Act's elective pay mechanism. The organization advanced next-generation geothermal technologies, launched a database of 50 community benefits frameworks for transmission projects, and supported the deployment of electric school buses (ESBs) through initiatives like the RVXDS project in California. WRI also focused on reforming power markets and grids, providing technical assistance to the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition and researching interregional transmission procurement.