Blog Posts: climate resilience

Over the past several months, have showcased evolving public positions on carbon pricing that contrast their long-standing history as a roadblock for climate policy. This shift provides an opportunity to drive ambition in the corporate world, but only if trade associations put their political and financial muscle behind these positions.  

Despite the immense obstacles, U.S. local governments bought more renewable energy in 2020 than ever before. Cities across the United States inked deals of all types and sizes, representing a positive shift toward renewable energy that cities must continue to pursue.

Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement will require decarbonizing the global economy, including heavy industry sectors like cement and steel. Two new papers consider the role and design of low-carbon product standards for cement and steel, which would set an emissions intensity benchmark and allow emissions credits trading within each industry.

As little as 1.5% of all public international climate finance went to support nature-based solutions for adaptation in developing countries in 2018. Here’s how that can be ramped up.

A new report finds that implementing a bundle of currently available technologies and practices across six emerging countries could collectively cut annual emissions from key urban sectors by 87–96% by 2050 beyond countries’ initial commitments under the Paris Agreement. But achieving these benefits will require the full support of national governments.

While Texas experiences the harshest winter storm in decades, some pundits are blaming wind turbines for blackouts. In reality, the blackouts in Texas are a resilience and planning problem, and more resilient energy systems are part of the solution.

Climate impacts can cause financial losses from property damage, disrupted supply chains and more. According to WRI research, businesses may lack the resources they need to properly assess the full gamut of physical climate risks.

The Netherlands hosted the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021, marking the first time world leaders gathered at a global event focused solely on adaptation and resilience. What did the Summit deliver, and where do we go from here?

National governments and international organizations must use this year to make three critical shifts to address climate impacts, as well as health and economic risks facing vulnerable communities.

The Trump administration demolished environmental safeguards, suppressed climate science and abandoned global cooperation on climate action. The Biden administration has an opportunity not only to reverse rollbacks from the Trump administration, but roll forward new rules to tackle the climate crisis.