Happy Earth Day from WRI! Though for us, every day is focused on improving the world for people, nature and the climate. 

We believe that high-quality research and data are the critical starting points to developing solutions that address the world’s most pressing challenges. In this special edition of the WRI Digest, we profile some of our latest findings on the ocean’s connection to human health, deforestation, planet-friendly plastics and more. 

We hope you’ll learn more about our research and consider supporting our work.

The ocean’s vast benefits to humans are still largely unexplored in science and academia. But new research sheds light on how a healthy ocean and its thriving biodiversity can offer people everything from new medicines to sustainable diets. Read more.

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New WRI research finds meat production methods that are better for animals aren't always better for the planet, and vice versa. In fact, seemingly sustainable options — like organic and grass-fed meat — can actually lead to higher GHG emissions and greater environmental impacts. Experts offer tips on how to navigate the options and trade-offs. Read more.

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Analysis from WRI’s Global Forest Watch project shows that despite steep drops in deforestation in Brazil and Colombia in 2023, the world is still losing 10 football (soccer) fields of primary forest every minute. Tree cover loss is escalating in countries like Bolivia, Laos and Nicaragua, while Canada’s record-breaking wildfire season took a toll on the country’s forests. Read more.

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From crayons to cosmetics, carpeting to pharmaceuticals, around 70,000 consumer products are made from “petrochemicals” derived from fossil fuels. In the U.S. alone, chemical production directly emits 180 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year, as much as the yearly emissions of 49 million cars! So is it possible to “defossilize” our thousands of plastic products? WRI research points a path forward. Read more.

Adnan Abidi/Reuters

The latest science shows that global temperatures will rise by as much as 2.9 degrees C (5 degrees F) by 2100 without steep emissions cuts. WRI analyzed what this amount of global warming would mean for the world’s largest cities. We found that nearly 200 urban areas would experience more than 150 days per year where temperatures exceed 95 degrees F (35 degrees C) — a level of extreme heat that threatens agriculture, infrastructure and human health.  Read more.

Stay tuned for a more comprehensive analysis of cities’ future climate hazards, to be released later this month.