Search Climate Insights Directory

The research paper 'Risky business' by the World Resources Institute outlines three risk-management principles to ensure the stability of the international market for greenhouse gas emissions rights, drawing lessons from the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis to avoid similar market failures.

This research paper from the World Resources Institute examines the intersection of climate action and social equity, arguing that while climate measures in key systems offer significant opportunities to reduce inequality, these opportunities are currently underutilized.

This report by the World Resources Institute examines how lessons from weapons of mass destruction control and multinational economic arrangements can be applied to international climate cooperation to achieve a near-zero-carbon economy by 2050.

This working paper proposes an Economic Returns Framework to assess the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of renewable power technologies in India, using the Economic Rate of Return (ERR) as a metric to guide sustainable development and energy policymaking.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute and the Mary Robinson Foundation — Climate Justice examines the intersection of climate change and justice to inform the climate agreement being negotiated for 2015. It analyzes how socio-ecological and economic systems contribute to injustice for vulnerable populations and explores the use of climate justice narratives to mobilize domestic demand for climate action.

This briefing examines the role of accountability tools in land-use planning and permitting through case studies in Brazil and Indonesia to provide recommendations for the design of national REDD+ programs.

The Corporate GPM Guide 3, published by the World Resources Institute, introduces corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories as a primary step for companies to achieve energy and climate goals through green power.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines case studies from Bangladesh, the Philippines (Malabon City), and Colombia (Cartegana) to identify factors that enable the successful integration and implementation of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in coastal areas.

The World Resources Institute and collaborators developed a geospatial dataset providing benchmark land use change (LUC) and land occupation (LO) emission factors for 42 major crops for the period 2020–24. The dataset aims to harmonize corporate GHG reporting by providing standardized, jurisdiction-level metrics. 2024 national averages reveal high variability in emissions per tonne of crop, such as soy in Brazil (1.67 tCO₂e) versus the US (0.40 tCO₂e), and highlight that subnational data is necessary to identify emission hotspots.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the integration, or 'mainstreaming', of climate change adaptation into sectoral development plans and budgets in India. Using case studies from Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the paper identifies key drivers for successful adaptation, such as the role of political and administrative leadership, the importance of programmatic over project-specific funding for sustainability, and the necessity of capacity building and inter-sectoral coordination.

This research paper outlines a framework for a sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19, focusing on three mutually reinforcing transitions: decarbonization, circular economy, and decentralization, to drive transformative economic change and strengthen national climate objectives.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute provides guidance for Ethiopian policymakers to align economic development goals with water availability and climate risks, arguing that current national planning does not sufficiently account for water resource requirements or vulnerability to climate shocks.

This working paper examines China's efforts to create an enabling environment for clean technology research, development, and innovation. It argues that the direction and pace of innovation—driven by technology-neutral energy policies and domestic R&D support—are critical for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The paper aims to demonstrate how developing countries can implement similar policies to leverage international climate financing and achieve scientific leadership.

The World Resources Institute's guidebook provides corporate decision-makers with the ARK and SPARK frameworks to integrate nature into business strategy. It identifies key internal enablers, such as leadership commitment and governance, and external drivers, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The document also outlines barriers to action, specifically financing constraints and the difficulty of establishing a clear business case for nature investments.

This research paper introduces a framework for Paris-aligned passive investing and evaluates 35 sustainable funds from the United States and the European Union, finding that none are fully aligned with the proposed criteria.

This working paper identifies components of smart renewable energy policy for developing countries, which are expected to provide 80% of new global electric generation capacity over the next two decades. It argues that to meet the IEA's '450 scenario', non-OECD nations must increase renewable electricity generation to 46% by 2035. The authors advocate for international donors to move from project-based support to systemic environment-building and define 'smart' policy as cost-effective, transparent, and investment-friendly.

This research paper evaluates whether publicly available guidance from corporate disclosure initiatives provides companies and financial organizations with consistent terminology and robust methodologies for assessing climate-related physical risks in alignment with climate science.

This research paper analyzes the development of solar PV and wind industries in China, Germany, India, Japan, and the United States from 2001 to 2011. It examines how these countries used policy to balance the growth of domestic manufacturing and 'green jobs' with the need for affordable, low-cost clean energy. The study, produced by a collaboration of five research institutions, evaluates the entire value chain from R&D to power generation and is supported by an interactive Data Explorer Tool.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute analyzes the emissions abatement potential of land-use and energy policies in Indonesia to determine if they are sufficient to meet the country's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets.

This report introduces a dynamic land-use model methodology developed in 1988 to quantitatively test and compare the carbon-offset and sequestration potentials of various sustainable forestry and land-use projects in developing countries.