Blog Posts: climate

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.

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.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a central pillar of international climate finance, and the funding mechanism known as “direct access” is an exciting part of the GCF’s innovative approach to financing and commitment to equitable finance. A new paper from WRI explores the GCF’s progress on direct access and proposes ways to fully realize the potential of this approach.

In many countries, the critical data governments need to address the climate emergency remains locked away or in unusable formats. New research from WRI and the Open Data Charter explores the many benefits of open data policies, and how to achieve them.

A new UN report finds that countries’ emissions-reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement are falling far short of what’s needed to prevent the most dangerous impacts of climate change.

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.

A new WRI report finds that China can peak its emissions as early as 2026 and realize enormous economic benefits over the long term by strengthening its climate and energy policies. Doing so could save nearly 1.9 million lives and generate nearly $1 trillion in net economic and social benefits in 2050.