Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the challenges commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers face when procuring renewable energy (RE) and evaluates the acceptability of Green Tariffs (GTs) in India. Based on data from 101 corporate and 185 SME consumers across five states, the study finds a strong preference for on-site solutions and significant barriers to GT adoption, including low awareness and a lack of willingness to pay premiums.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute describes a methodology for ranking 180 countries and 200 major river basins based on their exposure to water-related risks, using weighted aggregations of localized data from the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas.

This working paper, the first in a series leading to the World Resources Report 2013-14, outlines the challenge of feeding a projected global population of over 9 billion people by 2050 while promoting economic development and reducing environmental pressure.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the relationship between water security and global security threats, including conflict, migration, and food insecurity. It identifies the drivers of water risk, classifies the pathways through which these risks manifest, and proposes a variety of multifaceted strategies to mitigate these threats.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute examines local finance structures in Nepal, the Philippines, Uganda, and Zambia, focusing on the challenges and best practices for channeling climate adaptation funding to vulnerable communities.

This paper explores the difficulties of delivering adaptation finance to the most vulnerable people and introduces a framework to assess delivery. It highlights that while international climate finance to developing countries increased between 2008 and 2012 to meet UNFCCC commitments, and developing governments have increased their own spending, questions remain regarding how this money is used and if it reaches the local level. The Adaptation Finance Accountability Initiative (AFAI) addresses these questions by analyzing finance flows in Nepal, the Philippines, Uganda, and Zambia.

This research paper quantifies the impact of science-based targets (SBTs) from 22 Indian companies on India's 2030 NDC goals. It finds that these targets could reduce national GHG emissions by 0.51% to 0.62% and industry sector emissions by 1.89% to 2.4% by 2030, while slowing the companies' annual emissions growth from 3.89% to 3.07%.

This briefing from the World Resources Institute examines the liability and financial responsibility frameworks applicable to carbon dioxide capture and geological sequestration (CCS), specifically focusing on deep saline formations and depleted oil and gas fields.

This research paper examines the legal and financial barriers host countries in Asia face when attempting the early decommissioning of foreign-invested, unabated coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) to meet climate targets.

This working paper proposes a three-step policy roadmap for establishing an energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting scheme for enterprises in China's Guangdong Province to support government decision-making on low-carbon development and energy management.

This issue brief by the World Resources Institute examines six interconnected ecosystem challenges—water scarcity, climate change, habitat change, biodiversity loss and invasive species, overexploitation of oceans, and nutrient overloading—and their implications for business operations and corporate responses.

This issue brief from the World Resources Institute examines next-generation geothermal systems—specifically enhanced geothermal systems, closed-loop, and superhot systems—focusing on their application within the electricity sector to support a cost-effective and reliable 100 percent clean grid.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute assesses potential future risks to the global climate by analyzing proposed new coal-fired power plants and global coal market trends.

This research paper proposes a roadmap for scaling Trees Outside Forests (ToF) in India, noting that 80 million hectares could sequester 3.4 Gt CO2e by 2040. By analyzing policy incentives in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, and Telangana, the paper recommends landscape-level restoration plans, support for traditional ToF research, and targeted interventions for women and marginalized groups.

This research paper examines China's domestic monitoring of climate change policies to provide insights for an international structure for measuring, reporting, and verifying (MRV) actions in developing countries, specifically within the context of the Bali Action Plan's Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs).

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the global landscape of emissions intensity benchmarks and accounting methodologies for the cement and steel industries, emphasizing the need for harmonization to facilitate international trade in low-carbon materials.

This working paper, based on a October 2012 workshop convened by the World Resources Institute and the ClimateWorks Foundation, assesses the landscape of independent efforts to track the adoption, implementation, and impact of global climate change policies. It identifies critical gaps in current tracking efforts and provides recommendations for researchers, funders, and governments to improve the monitoring of climate policy effectiveness.

The World Resources Institute's Better Buying Lab convened over 50 academics and food industry practitioners in the United States and United Kingdom to explore how changing the language used to describe food can encourage consumers to shift from meat-heavy diets to more sustainable, plant-based diets.

This research paper describes the methodology used by the World Resources Institute to process global climate data into simplified indicators and open geospatial datasets to improve accessibility for climate adaptation decision-making.

This working paper summarizes the outcomes of a March 2010 workshop convened by the World Resources Institute, which brought together experts from over ten GHG inventory programs to identify common challenges and recommendations for evolving greenhouse gas accounting and reporting.