There are some fantastic organisations and individuals who are producing valuable research in sustainable finance. Altiorem summarises and curates this research to assist those who want to build the case for sustainability.
We will showcase these organisations by providing a snapshot of who they are, what they do and any achievements or initiatives they have accomplished relevant to sustainable finance.
This week, the spotlight is on the World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research not-for-profit which understands that the foundation of economic opportunity and human well-being relies on the sustainability of the world’s natural resources.
Overview
The WRI focuses on six critical issues at the intersection of environment and development: climate, energy, food, forests, water, and cities and transport. Aiming to transform the best research into action, the WRI applies the knowledge of 700 experts and staff who work closely with leaders in more than 50 countries.
WRI is committed to providing open access to data providing a catalogue of maps, charts, data sets, infographics among other visual, audio and text resources. The WRI researches and develops a range of online resources that are useful to furthering the case towards sustainable investment. The Sustainable Investing Initiative seeks to mainstream sustainable investment by providing tools and resources on greening private finance. WRI developed the Green Climate Fund Contributions Calculator 2.0, a tool to calculate funding and future need to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a global fund dedicated to reducing GHG emissions in developing countries.
Achievements
The WRI developed the acclaimed Greenhouse Gas Protocol in 2001, establishing multiple frameworks for GHG accounting and reporting standards. The success of the GHG Protocol is due to the rigorous road-testing of the draft standards and the multi-stakeholder partnerships with business, NGOs, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and governments.
Another notable programme is The Access Initiative which seeks to ensure that governments consider sustainable development and the interests of the poor in their environmental decision making. In 2011, the Access Initiative in India successfully helped improve the implementation of India’s National Green Tribunal by legally requiring the Government to provide necessary infrastructure and removing fees to access the tribunal.
The WRI partners with business, governments and civil society to pilot and scale successful projects such as the Cool Food Pledge. The Cool Food Pledge is a program helping business and consumers make climate conscious food habits by increasing plant-based proteins and reducing agricultural pressure on land, water and climate. Informed by the Better Buying Lab, the Cool Food Pledge is an initiative of the WRI’s Food Loss & Waste Protocol.
The Food Loss & Waste Protocol is the first global standard to measure and report food loss and waste aligning with the SDG target to reduce food waste by 50%. According to the CSIRO, meat-free proteins are expected to see a $4.1B boost to Australia’s domestic market and $2.5B to exports by 2030. With strong evidence of the Business Case for sustainable food consumption in mind, the WRI offers a range of resources for business looking to boost sales of meat-free menus.
Stay tuned for the next organisation we showcase!
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