How much do air quality and pollution issues affect women and girls, and how much can solutions to those problems be helped by making sure they have a seat at the decision-making table? These are the decisions addressed in this podcast timed to coincide with International Women's Day. The podcast features Gillian Caldwell of USAID, Azra Khan of WRI, and Debby Thalita of the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law. Alice Gottesman helped with the interviews, and it was presented and produced by Nicholas Walton. Useful links: WRI blog on Air Quality: https://www.climatelinks.org/blog/women-transportation-and-air-pollution-india WRI Air Quality work: https://www.wri.org/cities/air-quality Clean Air Catalyst: https://www.cleanaircatalyst.org/ WRI Podcast on Clean Air Catalyst: https://www.wri.org/multimedia/how-clean-air-catalyst-fixing-air-quality-problem WRI Gender work: https://www.wri.org/equitable-development/gender less

With the world continuing to struggle with the cost of the Covid 19 pandemic, what are the chances that humanity's continued ill-treatment of nature will lead to the emergence of future diseases? What are the issues and questions behind the link between environmental degradation and disease that we need to be examining? This deeper dive looking at pandemics and biodiversity is the third of a short series of WRI podcasts looking at the individual subjects of our Stories To Watch project for 2022, and features Krista Karch, Chip Barber and Ani Dasgupta. It was produced and presented by Nicholas Walton. For more, go to: www.wri.org/stories-to-watch www.wri.org/multimedia/podcast-stories-watch-2022 www.wri.org/podcasts less

One of the biggest challenges of a transition to a low carbon world is to change the way we get around. Electrifying transport is a key element of this, but it's about far more than selling electric cars and installing charging points in the cities of the rich world. But what are the issues and questions that we need to be examining? This deeper dive looking at electric mobility is the second of a short series of WRI podcasts looking at the individual subjects of our Stories To Watch project for 2022, and features Kar Lopez, Claudia Adriazola Steil, and Ani Dasgupta. It was produced and presented by Nicholas Walton. For more, go to: www.wri.org/stories-to-watch www.wri.org/multimedia/podcast-stories-watch-2022 www.wri.org/podcasts less

Coal is one of the most potent drivers of climate change. Phasing it out is critical for cutting harmful emissions and transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Yet despite rising commitments to do so, many countries seem to want to hang on to coal. Why? This deeper dive looking at coal is the first of a short series of WRI podcasts looking at the individual subjects of our Stories To Watch project for 2022, and features Joel Jaeger, Jennifer Layke and Ani Dasgupta. It was produced and presented by Nicholas Walton. For more, go to: www.wri.org/stories-to-watch www.wri.org/multimedia/podcast-stories-watch-2022 www.wri.org/podcasts less

Is it possible to predict conflict? That's what the Water, Peace and Security Partnership's machine learning early warning tool sets out to do. Four times a year the predictions are analyzed and turned into a quarterly report. We'll be doing a short podcast about the headline story from each quarterly report - this time the focus is on the Horn of Africa, especially Ethiopia, Somalia and northern Kenya, and the interviewee was WRI's Charlie Iceland. You can read the quarterly report in more depth at www.waterpeacesecurity.org, and follow the Partnership on Twitter, @waterpeacesec. WRI is one of the Water, Peace and Security partners. less

What are the Stories To Watch for 2022? Every year WRI works out what the important ones are for the year ahead and presents them to the world. This podcast - with Ani Dasgupta interviewed by Nicholas Walton - looks at the background and inside story of those Stories, and the big changes in the world that have informed them. To read more about WRI's Stories To Watch 2022 go to www.wri.org/stories-to-watch. less

This series of ACT2025 podcasts from the World Resources Institute looks at climate from the point of view of vulnerable countries. In this podcast we hear an evaluation of the outcomes from the COP26 conference, from Preety Bhandari, Senior Advisor in WRI’s Global Climate Program and the Finance Center. She was interviewed by Molly Bergen. ACT2025 was formed to make sure their voices are heard — and this series is about the issues that are important to them. WRI is the secretariat and a core partner of ACT2025. You can also find episodes on key issues: ambition, adaptation, finance, loss and damage, and rules. less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton looks at Air Quality with Jessica Seddon. Other episodes look at Oceans, Cities, Circular Economy, Energy, Food and Land Use, Business, and an overall look ahead to COP26. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton looks at the Ocean with Kristian Teleki. Other episodes look at Cities, Circular Economy, Energy, Food and Land Use, Clean Air, Business, and an overall look ahead to COP26. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton looks at Food and Land Use with Morgan Gillespy. Other episodes look at Oceans, Cities, Circular Economy, Energy, Clean Air, Business, and an overall look ahead to COP26. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton looks at Cities with Rogier Vandenberg. Other episodes look at Oceans, Circular Economy, Energy, Food and Land Use, Clean Air, Business, and an overall look ahead to COP26. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton looks at the Circular Economy with Stientje van Veldhoven. Other episodes look at Oceans, Cities, Energy, Food and Land Use, Clean Air, Business, and an overall look ahead to COP26. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton looks at the Business world with Kevin Moss. Other episodes look at Oceans, Cities, Circular Economy, Energy, Food and Land Use, Clean Air, and an overall look ahead to COP26. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton gets an overview of what to expect from COP from Helen Mountford. Other episodes look at Oceans, Cities, Circular Economy, Energy, Food and Land Use, Clean Air, and Business. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

This new series of short WRI podcasts looks at why COP26 matters for different issues. In this episode Nicholas Walton looks at Energy with Jennifer Layke. Other episodes look at Oceans, Cities, Circular Economy, Food and Land Use, Clean Air, Business, and an overall look ahead to COP26. For more on #COP26 go to our resource hub: www.wri.org/un-climate-change-conference-resource-hub less

Cities are a place of opportunity and inequality, and where more than half the world's population will experience the impacts of climate change. They're also part of the solution. This podcast draws on WRI's major new report, "Towards a more equal city", which uses its six years of research to look at the challenges of the world's cities through the lens of equity. THIS PAPER WILL LAUNCH ON OCTOBER 19th. PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE TO REGISTER FOR THE LAUNCH: https://events.wri.org/world-resources-report-synthesis-launch-seven-transformations-for-more-equitable-and-sustainable-cities/ The podcast guests are Ani Dasgupta, Anjali Mahendra, and Robin King. The presenter is Nicholas Walton. less

ACT2025: Adaptation - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025 This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change. We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a grouping called ACT2025 to make sure their voices are heard — and this series is about the issues that are important to them. WRI is the secretariat and a core partner of ACT2025. This episode deals with ADAPTATION, and was put together by Molly Bergen and Nicholas Walton. It features WRI's Yamide Dagnet and Chuks Okereke, Professor of Environment and Development at AE-Funai University in Nigeria. less

ACT2025: Loss and Damage - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025 This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change. We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a grouping called ACT2025 to make sure their voices are heard — and this series is about the issues that are important to them. WRI is the secretariat and a core partner of ACT2025. This episode deals with LOSS AND DAMAGE, and was put together by Molly Bergen and Nicholas Walton. It features WRI's Yamide Dagnet, Saleemul Huq of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development, and Ineza Grace of The Green Fighter and the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition. less

ACT2025: Finance - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025 This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 are seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change. We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a grouping called ACT2025 to make sure their voices are heard — and this series is about the issues that are important to them. WRI is the secretariat and core partner of ACT2025. This episode deals with FINANCE, and was put together by Molly Bergen and Nicholas Walton. It features WRI's Yamide Dagnet, Maria Laura Rojas Vallejo, co-founder and executive director of Transforma, and Sara Jane Ahmed, a finance advisor for the V20 — a grouping of 48 ministers of finance representing many of the most climate-vulnerable economies. less

ACT2025: Rules - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025 This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change. We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a grouping called ACT2025 to make sure their voices are heard — and this series is about the issues that are important to them. WRI is the secretariat and a core partner of ACT2025. This first episode deals with RULES, and was put together by Molly Bergen and Nicholas Walton. It features WRI's Yamide Dagnet, Tony La Viña of the Manila Observatory, and Sandra Guzman of the Climate Finance Group for Latin America and the Caribbean. less

ACT2025: Ambition - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025 This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change. We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a grouping called ACT2025 to make sure their voices are heard — and this series is about the issues that are important to them. WRI is the secretariat and a core partner of ACT2025. This episode deals with AMBITION, and was put together by Molly Bergen and Nicholas Walton. It features WRI's Yamide Dagnet, Mark Bynoe of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, and Tasneem Essop of Climate Action Network International. less

The recent IPCC report underlines just how grave and urgent the environmental challenges facing us are. But how should we frame such challenges in a way that helps us to find solutions - not just to climate change, but to the array of other issues, from food and forests to energy, cities, water and oceans. Who better to ask these questions than WRI’s new president, Ani Dasgupta? In this podcast he tells Nicholas Walton about how his childhood in Delhi shaped his understanding of the links between the environment, development and equity, and explains the WRI approach to finding solutions that can make a difference to the planet and individual human lives. For much, much more, go to www.wri.org. less

Whatever the commitments countries are making about decarbonizing their economies, one thing is certain: climate change is happening, and its impacts are being felt disproportionately by the poor. In Africa the agricultural sector, dominated by small producers and subsistence farming, is especially vulnerable. Adaptation can play a vital role in helping these farmers, and in this podcast you'll hear from Rodger Voorhies, President for Global Growth and Opportunity at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio, co-author of a new WRI paper on how digital services can transform the lives of 300 million farmers (www.wri.org/research/digital-climate-informed-advisory-services). less

The WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities is the premier global award celebrating and spotlighting transformative urban change, and its winner for 2020-21 has been announced. Which finalist won the $250,000 first prize? The 5 finalists were from Ahmedabad in India, London in the UK, Rosario in Argentina, Kibera in Kenya, and Monterrey in Mexico. Each would have been a worthy winner, each finding innovative and inspiring ways to meet environmental urban challenges in equitable and sustainable ways. For more on the Prize go to https://prizeforcities.org, and the Cities Program part of www.wri.org. less

If you were a farmer and the climate changed, what would you do about it? At first you might simply try small experiments to adapt – after all, farmers are used to annual variations in the weather. But what about if the changes aren’t just annual variations, but are serious shifts in weather patterns associated with climate change? Drier weather, higher temperatures, more frequent storms, prolongued periods of rainfall. These issues are the subject of a new WRI report, "Food systems at risk: transformative adaptation for long term food security". In this podcast two of the authors, Rebecca Carter and Tyler Ferdinand, talk to Nicholas Walton about why transformative adaptation is happening, what the challenges are, and how it can be made more effective. less

The WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities is the premier global award celebrating and spotlighting transformative urban change. The five finalists for the 2020-21 prize come from five very different urban environments - in Kenya, Argentina, Mexico, India and the United Kingdom - but all demonstrate how effectively innovative ideas can tackle inequality and climate change. In this podcast we hear about all five finalists, and what makes each of them special. Anne Maassen, WRI's global lead on the prize, explains the challenges faced by residents in each of the five urban areas, and the solutions they've come up with. For more on the prize, including videos of each of the finalists, go to www.prizeforcities.org. The winner is due to be announced on June 29th 2021. less

This is a special World Ocean Day podcast that was orginally for the WRI Ocean program and the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. It's with Carlos Manuel Rodriguez of the Global Environment Facility, and it's about what he's learned about the ocean from his decades of surfing, especially off the coast of Costa Rica. Go to oceanpanel.org or @oceanpanel on Twitter if you're interested to find out more. less

Cameroon sits just north of the equator, right on the edge of the vast Congo River basin. It has around 20 million hectares of tropical forest, mainly in the south, but according to data on Global Forest Watch it has lost nearly 4 percent of its primary forest since 2002. Knowing this about what's happening to Cameroon's forest is one thing, however, and doing something about it is another. Or is it? This podcast is about how satellite data translates into action to protect the forests on the ground. Nicholas Walton talks to an NGO worker, a journalist and a WRI staff member, all in Cameroon, and a WRI researcher who has analyzed the relationship between forest loss data and action. Useful links: * Learn more about Global Forest Watch’s Small Grants Fund and Tech Fellowship programs: www.globalforestwatch.org/grants-and-fellowships/about/ * Learn more about Global Forest Watch’s impact assessment: www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-research/glad-alerts-reduce-deforestation-africa/ * WRI's recent podcast analysing the latest tree cover loss figures: https://soundcloud.com/world-resources-institute/big-ideas-into-action-14-global-tree-loss-data-for-2020 * WRI's podcast page: www.wri.org/podcasts less

Ensuring that women have equal access to land rights, as well as a strong and respected voice in decision making, makes an enormous difference to the prosperity of communities across the world. This episode examines the issue, following the WRI report "On Equal Ground". This episode features women in Mexico, Cameroon and Indonesia, explaining why this issue matters, especially at a time when the Covid pandemic is harming economic life and land is being sold to large-scale commercial agricultural companies. The WRI report can be found here: https://www.wri.org/research/equal-ground-promising-practices-realizing-womens-rights-collectively-held-lands less

The Leaders Summit called by President Joe Biden was in effect an opportunity to accelerate the response to the climate crisis - but did it achieve what it set out to? Where does it leave us on the road to Glasgow and COP26? Nicholas Walton spoke to Helen Mountford, our Vice President for Climate and Economics, and David Waskow, the director of the International Climate Initiative at WRI. Further reading: https://www.wri.org/insights/leaders-summit-climate-offers-jolt-momentum-global-action less