This paper shows that any dedicated use of land for growing bioenergy inherently comes at the cost of not using that land for growing food or animal feed, or for storing carbon. It recommends several policy changes to phase out forms of bioenergy that use crops or that otherwise make dedicated use of land.

This interactive visualization, based on data from WRI’s CAIT and the IPCC, shows how national CO₂ emissions have changed over the last 150 years, how much of the global carbon budget these emissions have used up, and what the future might hold. Click play to watch or use the controls below to explore.

Countries around the world are increasingly developing policies to address climate change and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While this trend is encouraging, policies will only be successful in meeting the climate challenge to the extent that they are fully implemented.

In December 2015, countries are scheduled to conclude negotiations on a new international climate agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to address how to shift the world’s economy onto a low-carbon and climate-resilient pathway in a manner that is ambitious, equitable, and transparent.

A growing body of evidence shows that economic growth is not in conflict with efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Experience at the state and national levels demonstrates that well-designed policies can reduce

Shale resources are unevenly distributed worldwide and, for the most part, not located where freshwater is abundant. For example, China, Mexico, and South Africa have some of the largest technically recoverable shale gas resources (based on estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration), but face high to extremely high water stress where the shale is located. This report analyzes water availability across all potentially commercial shale resources worldwide. It also reveals that water availability could limit shale resource development on every continent except Antarctica.

The World Resources Institute’s Sustainability Initiative seeks to align the Institute’s business practices with its mission. Walking the talk on sustainability, a new report discloses the 2012 GHG inventory results and discusses GHG reduction projects and other sustainability projects completed in the last year.

Securing Rights, Combating Climate Change analyzes the growing body of evidence linking community forest rights with healthier forests and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

This paper comprehensively reviews and assesses Japan’s climate change mitigation policies. Its objectives are threefold. First, it assesses the ambition level of the Warsaw Target in comparison with the Copenhagen Pledge and earlier 2020 mitigation targets.

This working paper examines the implications of doubling aquaculture production between now and 2050, and offers recommendations to ensure that aquaculture growth contributes to a sustainable food future.

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