Social Impact
How climate change affects communities, migration, health, and social justice
Climate Justice Alliance, GreenLatinos, Indigenous Environmental Network, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice Lead 89 Organizations in Opposing DOEâS NEPA Rollback
Indigenous and Environmental Justice Groups Warn the Rollback Would Strip Communities of Legal Recourse and Critical Safeguards Contact: Climate Justice Alliance: [email protected] WE ACT for Environmental Justice: [email protected] GreenLatinos: [email protected]...
STATEMENT: U.S. EPA Proposes to Reverse its Authority to Limit Climate Pollution
July 29, 2025 (Washington, DC) â Today in Indianapolis, where the heat index was expected to exceed 100 degrees and approach an all-time high, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)...
Mobilizing Clean Energy Finance in the Industrial Sector in Indonesia and Vietnam
Vietnam and Indonesia are among Southeast Asiaâs fastest-growing energy markets. Vietnamâs government estimates that electricity consumption will rise by 10%-12% annually through 2030, one of the highest rates in the...
The Challenge with Tree-Planting Initiatives â and How to Get Them Right
The last decade has seen a surge in tree-planting and restoration pledges. The Bonn Challenge and New York Declaration on Forests aim to restore 350 million hectares of degraded forests...
For Electric Vehicles, Smaller Is Better
The electric vehicle (EV) market is showing steady growth in many parts of the world. In 2023, nearly one in five cars sold worldwide was electric, with China, Europe and...
Latest Permitting Proposal is a Wolf in Sheepâs Clothing
Contact: [email protected] In response to the introduction of the SPEED Act today by Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), Climate Justice Alliance Executive Director...
Housing Justice Is Climate Justice: Trumpâs Executive Order Criminalizes the Unhoused and Ignores the Root Causes
As the federal government escalates its assault on unhoused communities, President Trump issues an inhumane executive order pressuring local governments to forcibly remove people experiencing homelessness from the streets. This...
We Must RespectâNot RepealâHard-fought Community Protections like the Endangerment Finding
The EPA Must Be Allowed to Continue Setting Limits on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Contact: [email protected] Washington DC â In the coming days, the Trump administration is expected to move forward...
Climate Justice Alliance Supports a Peopleâs AI Action Plan
We need an AI Plan that protects people and the planet, not a plan that accelerates extraction Contact: [email protected] Today, the Trump Administration released an AI plan that would fast-track...
What Does âGreenâ Procurement Mean? Initiatives and Standards for Cement and Steel.
Decarbonizing cement and steel production â which together are responsible for nearly 14% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions â will be critical to achieving national and global climate goals....
Cities Are Heating Up. Better Infrastructure Can Cool Them Down.
In a city, a grassy park might be a place to stretch out with a book, an asphalt road your route to work, a building wall a canvas for a...
House Funding Bills are a Payout to Polluters
Contact: [email protected] In response to a slew of anti-environmental appropriations bills, including the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies and the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies FY 2026...
Farmers Restore the âCradle of Mankindâ in Kenyaâs Greater Rift Valley
Every morning, Joyce Muthoni steps onto her farm in central Kenya with quiet determination. She moves from tree to tree â pruning, weeding, checking the soil â nurturing each seedling....
STATEMENT: 8 African Nations Commit to 100% Sustainable Ocean Management
YAOUNDĂ Â (July 11, 2025)Â â Yesterday, eight African nations â Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, CĂ´te dâIvoire, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria â adopted the YaoundĂŠ Declaration, committing to sustainably...
Grounding Global Water Risk Assessments in Local Data
More companies are assessing water risks, either voluntarily or in response to regulatory requirements. However, navigating the complex and diverse water challenges across global portfolios while under pressure from external...
How Advanced Transmission Technologies Can Revamp the Aging US Power Grid
The North American power grid is often referred to as âthe worldâs largest machine.â What may appear to be a haphazard collection of power plants and lines is actually an...
Investors Look to Nature to Shield Against Growing Financial Risks
Since the start of 2025, a quiet yet profound shift has begun to reshape global finance. In January, BlackRock, the worldâs largest asset manager, publicly acknowledged that \ânature capital\â â...
A Comprehensive Guide for Safer Roads and Livable Cities
Road traffic crashes kill about 1.19 million people each year and seriously injure another 20 million to 50 million. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists â the most vulnerable road users â...
Organized Crime in The Amazon: A Growing Threat to the Worldâs Greatest Tropical Rainforest
Brazil once again leads the world in the loss of primary tropical forests. New data shows the country accounted for 42% of global primary rainforest loss in 2024, largely due...
What Is the EU Deforestation Regulation? 7 Key Questions, Answered
Between 2001 and 2024, the world lost 177 million hectares of tree cover â a loss that is likely permanent. Most of this loss was the result of clearing for...
The US Canât Build a Competitive Industrial Future without Centering Communities
As the global economy shifts toward cleaner and more efficient manufacturing and production, the U.S. has the opportunity to create healthier communities and increase climate resilience as it shapes a...
STATEMENT: BRICS Countries Rally Around Assertive Climate Agenda Ahead of COP30
RIO DE JANEIRO (July 7, 2025) â The 2025 BRICS Summit concluded today in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together representatives from countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa...
STATEMENT: The Republican Budget Bill Will Hurt the U.S. Economy
WASHINGTON D.C. (July 3, 2025) â Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1., the Republican budget bill, by a vote of 218 to 214 following the U.S. Senateâs 51...
STATEMENT: EU 2040 Climate Goal Should Stay the Course Towards a Net-Zero Economy
BRUSSELS (July 7, 2025) - Today, the European Commission presented its formal proposal to cut the European Unionâs greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, from 1990 levels.The revised EU...
Managing Extremes: How South African Cities Are Tackling Water Crises
With about 464 millimeters of rainfall per year â less than half the global average â South Africa is one of the driest countries in the world. Its semi-arid climate,...
Istanbul Tackles Tourist Crowds and Climate Issues Together
Istanbulâs CaferaÄa neighborhood has a longstanding reputation for its cultural richness and historic charm. Quaint cafes, restaurants and bars line the sidewalks. A thriving arts scene draws an eclectic crowd....
Growing Water Risks Threaten Worldâs Most Cherished Heritage Sites
Water is impacting some of the Earthâs most cherished places: The Taj Mahal, for example, faces water scarcity that is increasing pollution and depleting groundwater, both of which are damaging...
A New Satellite Data App Supports Better Monitoring of European Forests
European forests are constantly changing as they experience the impacts of climate change and intensive harvesting. In Nordic regions, the area of tall trees â which store the most carbon...
4 Ways Financing for Development Can Deliver for People, Nature and Climate
The path to accelerating progress on global goals for people, nature and the climate depends on bringing together different sources of finance to align efforts and work better as a...
Climate Resilience Takes Root on Indiaâs Mint Farms
Uday Raj Chauhan proudly sports a red t-shirt with "Maati ka lal" (son of the soil) printed on it. The shirtâs acrylic lettering has worn off with use, but Chauhanâs...
STATEMENT: Bonn Talks Leave Tough Questions for COP30 to Resolve
BONN, GERMANY (June 26, 2025) â The 2025 UN climate talks concluded today in Bonn after a challenging start, with a two-day delay over the agenda cutting into negotiation time....
These Countries Are Electrifying their Bus Fleets the Fastest
In cities around the world, people are embracing electric buses, which provide a quieter, smoother ride without the harmful pollution from traditional gas and diesel buses. For example, bus riders...
Protecting Naturally Regrowing Forests Is a Crucial â and Overlooked â Climate Solution
Protecting and restoring forests are essential for curbing climate change. But while efforts often focus on conserving mature forests and planting new trees (both of which are badly needed), a...
STATEMENT: Proposed Changes Threaten the Effectiveness of the EU Deforestation Regulation
BRUSSELS (June 23, 2025) â Earlier this year, the European Commission announced measures to simplify the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which is set to be enforced from 30 December 2025....
Climate Compatible Growth and WRI Partner to Advance the Energy Transition
At London Climate Action Week on June 23, 2025, WRI and Climate Compatible Growth (CCG) formalized a strategic partnership to cooperate on energy transition, energy access, transport, critical minerals, political...
Community Benefits Snapshot: Grain Belt Express Community Engagement and Benefits
HighlightsThe Grain Belt Express is the highest capacity transmission line to ever be planned in the United States and the first to connect four grid regions. At 800 miles, it...
Financing Nature Is Good Business. Here's How Companies Can Start.
Ecosystem services like clean air and water, healthy soils, flood management and climate regulation are not luxuries; they are foundational to life and economic activity. More than half of the...
1.5 Degrees C: Understanding Worldâs Critical Warming Threshold
Nearly a decade ago, the world rallied around the Paris Agreement on climate change and the goal of holding global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F). Since...
Johannesburg to Restore Urban Rivers Using Lessons from Durban
South Africaâs cities face growing threats to their water resources, especially rivers, as rapid development and climate change undermine the health of water systems and the ecosystem services they provide....
Cutting Cattle Methane through Feed Additives: Lessons from Early Adoption and the Road Ahead
Ruminants â cattle, sheep and goats â are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Methane produced during their digestion, known as "enteric methane," accounts for nearly 60% of agricultural...
4 Takeaways from Californiaâs Carbon Dioxide Removal Policies
California has long been a national leader on ambitious climate policy and action. In 2006, the state passed landmark legislation that led to the first economywide cap-and-trade system. It later...
New Report Series Exposes Massive Gaps in Climate Philanthropy
âThe Just Returns Projectâ Reports Call on Funders to Back Grassroots Climate Solutions Contact: [email protected] WASHINGTON, D.C. â As climate disruption escalates, bringing record-breaking wildfires, heat waves, and flooding to...
Underlying Technology and Infrastructure Opportunities in Impact Tech
This is the fourth post of a four-part series showcasing how WRIâs Data Lab is addressing global challenges through innovative technology strategies and products. In each part, we focus on...
Opportunities to Build Data Tools That Deliver
This is the third post of a four-part series showcasing how WRIâs Data Lab is addressing global challenges through innovative technology strategies and products. In each part we focus on...
Three Strategies for Building Better Impact Tech
This is the second post of a four-part series showcasing how WRIâs Data Lab is addressing global challenges through innovative technology strategies and products. In this series, we focus on...
Data and Technology Opportunities for Impact: What WRI's Data Lab Is Exploring in 2025 and Beyond
Welcome to this four-part blog post series showcasing how WRIâs Data Lab is addressing global challenges through innovative technology strategies and products. In each part, we focus on the technical...
Recent Climate Setbacks Will Not Derail the Green Transition
At a moment when all countries need to raise their ambition on climate action, the opposite seems to be happening.Headline after headline show lackluster progress and rolled-back commitments. For one,...
STATEMENT: UN Ocean Conference Ends with Momentum â and Missed Chances to Protect the Ocean
NICE (June 13, 2025) â The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) ended today in Nice, France, after five days of high-level discussions and negotiations. The conference united heads of...