WRI Newsroom

Welcome to the World Resources Institute (WRI) newsroom where you'll find useful resources for the media and timely information on global environmental issues.

Top news releases

• 2007 November 6.
  Former WRI Board Member John W. Firor Dies. "John was a great spirit, a brilliant scientist, and a powerful force in the creation of the World Resources Institute," said WRI President Jonathan Lash.

• 2007 October 18.
  Senate Proposal Signals Positive Movement Toward Comprehensive Climate Legislation. Climate change legislation introduced today sends a strong signal that the U.S. is moving toward reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

• 2007 October 12.
  WRI Congratulates Board Member Al Gore on Winning 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Gore’s book and Oscar-winning film An Inconvenient Truth are widely credited with heightening public awareness on the scientific evidence about global warming.

• 2007 October 1.
  EPA Analysis of Federal Bills Omits Key Assumptions. WRI's bill analysis remains an accurate portrayal of the differences in the U.S. emissions levels under each bill.

• 2007 September 21.
  WRI Analyzes Carbon Emissions Targets of Congressional Climate Change Bills. WRI has updated and expanded its analysis of six mandatory cap-and-trade proposals for carbon emissions.

• 2007 September 19.
  Mayor, Nonprofits Announce Partnership to Green Mexico City Transport. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard this morning announced a five-year partnership to green Mexico City's transportation system.

• 2007 September 14.
  More European Companies Switch to Green Power. The Green Power Market Development Group - Europe (GPMDG-EU) today announced the completion of its first 100 megawatts (MW) of green power projects at 50 corporate facilities across 16 European countries.

• 2007 September 7.
  States Can Take Key Steps to Influence Federal Climate Change Policy. A WRI analysis has identified certain state actions that historically have had strong influence in shaping federal policies, and recommends how states can affect impending federal decisions about climate change.

• 2007 September 7.
  New Guidelines Improve Accounting for Energy Sector Carbon Offsets. Quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions benefits of renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects is now easier with today's release of new accounting guidelines by WRI and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

• 2007 September 5.
  Dr. David J. Jhirad to Join Rockefeller Foundation as V.P. for Research and Evaluation. The Rockefeller Foundation today announced the appointment of Dr. David J. Jhirad as the Vice President for Research and Evaluation, a newly created position.

• 2007 August 22.
  World Resources Institute Continues on "Cutting Edge" of Green Building Design. WRI is one of a small number of projects in the region to receive an elite award for incorporating energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly design and construction aspects into its newly-expanded office space.

• 2007 July 5.
  WRI Receives $750,000 Grant for Climate Policy Research from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. WRI is one of six organizations that will receive grants to deliver analysis and recommendations on different approaches to tackling climate change.

• 2007 June 13.
  Manish Bapna Appointed Managing Director of World Resources Institute. The former executive director of the Bank Information Center (BIC) has joined WRI as its new executive vice president and managing director.

• 2007 May 29.
  Connections Between Poverty and Ecosystems Mapped in New Kenya Atlas. The new atlas of Kenya is designed to improve understanding of the relationships between poverty and the environment.

• 2007 May 14.
  WRI Establishes First Business Case for Community Consent. Multinational corporations and financial institutions that seek local community consent for their operations will have a competitive advantage over those that fail to do so.

• 2007 May 11.
  New Report Shines Light on Challenges of Providing Clean, Affordable Electricity in Asia. Governments must improve transparency and public participation in their electricity sectors.

• 2007 May 7.
  WRI Charts Path to Restoring Nature's Capital: WRI's Jonathan Lash, UNEP’s Achim Steiner Deliver Action Agenda for Managing the World's Ecosystem Goods and Services. Ecosystems must be viewed as huge capital assets, affected by nearly all development and investment decisions.

• 2007 April 17.
  WRI Evaluates Investment and Policy Options for Deploying Existing Technologies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases. Understanding climate change will make the difference between success and failure for investors in the world's vast energy markets.

• 2007 March 19.
  New Analysis Reveals $5 Trillion Market at Base of the Pyramid. Four billion people who live in relative poverty have purchasing power representing a $5 trillion market.

• 2007 February 8.
  Corporate, Philanthropic Leaders to be Honored at World Resources Institute Dinner. MacArthur Foundation to Announce Climate Funding Program

• 2007 January 22.
  US Climate Action Partnership. WRI, major U.S. businesses and other environmental groups are calling today for urgent action by the U.S. on climate change.

• 2007 January 18.
  Three Asian Cities Undertake Sustainable Transport Improvements Based on WRI Study. Three cities in China, India, and Vietnam are undertaking major sustainable transport policy initiatives, the World Resources Institute (WRI) will announce.

• 2007 January 17.
  Expert on Environmental Transparency of Governments Joins the World Resources Institute. Jacob Werksman has been selected to lead WRI's Institutions and Governance Program.

• 2006 December 20.
  WRI President Jonathan Lash Briefs Journalists on Environmental Trends for 2007.

• 2006 December 12.
  Human-caused Pollution Damaging Prized Central American Reefs; WRI analysis maps sources in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. More than 80 percent of the sediment and 50 percent of the pollutants entering the coastal waters of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef originate from human activities.

• 2006 November 16.
  Mexico City Bus Rapid Transit System Celebrates 100 Millionth Passenger: Innovative system cuts travel times and exposure to pollution. Metrobus today celebrates the 100 millionth passenger to enjoy faster travel and less exposure to pollutants since the system began operations in June 2005.

• 2006 November 1.
  WRI Appoints Strategic Communications Expert as Vice President of External Affairs. An expert in environmental and strategic communications, Robin Murphy, has been appointed vice president for external relations at the WRI.

• 2006 October 18.
  WRI Introduces Five Easy Steps for Offices and Stores to Acquire Renewable Energy. WRI cuts through the clutter with essential information for financial institutions; real estate, retail, law, and publishing firms; universities; non-profit organizations; and many others to understand the basics of how they can go green.

• 2006 September 28.
  WRI, MTV partner on global warming promo, set to debut tonight. Tonight, MTV begins airing a 30-second promo developed in partnership with WRI and other partners to raise awareness about the problem of climate change.

• 2006 September 18.
  World Resources Institute Elects Diverse Group to Board. Four new members officially join the World Resources Institute's Board of Directors today.

• 2006 September 14.
  Environmental Commitment by World Bank Bears Watching, Says WRI Policy Note. On the eve of the World Bank’s annual meetings here this weekend, the World Resources Institute is releasing a policy paper that outlines concerns about the Bank’s recent merger of its environment and infrastructure units.

• 2006 September 13.
  Comprehensive Maps Provide Key Tools to Manage Northern Forest Frontier. Government, business and environment groups now have the most advanced set of tools available to manage the world's final frontier of untouched northern forests with the release of new map-based tools detailing forests in Alaska, Canada, and Russia.

• 2006 June 21.
  Office Buildings Can Fight Global Warming, Says World Resources Institute Guidebook. People who work in office buildings can significantly impact climate change by introducing energy-efficiency measures to improve building operations

• 2006 June 6.
  Corporate Climate Investments Highlighted, Analysis Tool Released By World Resources Institute.

• 2006 May 25.
  Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival announces exciting large scale greening initiatives.

• 2006 May 1.
  WRI’s Pershing, Daviet Awarded as California Climate Champions. Dr. Jonathan Pershing has been named the only individual winner in the third annual California Climate Action Registry “Climate Action Champion Awards.”

• 2006 April 27.
  World Resources Institute’s Sustainable Urban Transport Project Receives $7.5 Million Contribution by Caterpillar Foundation. The World Resources Institute’s Center for Transport and the Environment, known as EMBARQ, gained significant momentum with the announcement today of a new $7.5 million contribution from the Caterpillar Foundation.

• 2006 April 26.
  Indonesia Joins Partnership to Improve Environmental Governance, Public Access to Information. Indonesia 's citizens will have better access to environmental information and decision-making. The country will become the 7th national government – and the first in Asia – to join the international Partnership for Principle 10 (PP10).

• 2006 April 21.
  MTV Launches Break the Addiction
  Sets goal to educate and empower young people to help end global warming and mass overconsumption. 12-month, 12-step Campaign offers Young People Opportunity to Lead the Fight against Global Warming

• 2006 March 20.
  Maps Show Diverse, Widespread Human Pressures on Brazilian Amazon Forests. Half of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest is under pressure from an array of human activities, according to figures released today in unison with a report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Imazon.

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