The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted a new rule this week requiring larger U.S. companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions if they are financially material to investors. While the rule is a step forward, it’s far weaker than what the agency originally proposed two years ago. 

“It is unfortunate that requirements to disclose Scope 3 emissions are glaringly absent from the new rule,” said WRI’s Managing Director for Strategy Janet Ranganathan. “These emissions account for roughly three-quarters of a company’s total emissions so are a major source of risk — and also something investors are hungry to know more about.” 

The U.S. is only the most recent country to require emissions disclosures from corporations doing business in their jurisdictions. WRI experts examine the growing trend of greenhouse gas accounting and corporate climate disclosures. Read more.

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Mexico City is home to nearly 22 million people — a population which is now facing the imminent threat of running out of water. Data from WRI’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, which measures the ratio of water demand to the available renewable supply, finds that Mexico is just one of 25 countries around the world that’s facing extremely high water stress. WRI experts break down what water-stressed places can do to manage growing water scarcity now and in the future. Read more.

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More and more companies and governments are pledging to protect forests, and yet deforestation continues to rise. One of the major reasons is the sheer complexity of supply chains. Some companies source raw materials from more than 50,000 suppliers worldwide. Knowing where all their commodities come from — and if their production fueled deforestation — is a herculean task. Read more.

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Roughly 2.5 billion globally people rely on collective land tenure systems, where communities share rights to use or manage land. Yet not all Indigenous and customary communities recognize women’s land rights within collectives. WRI experts highlight how increasing women’s rights in collective land systems unlocks economic, social and environmental benefits. Read more.

GHG accounting is not as simple as measuring a company’s direct emissions. To accurately account for their full climate impact, companies must consider emissions associated with the raw materials they source and consumers’ use of their goods. That’s why GHG accounting is broken down into three scopes.