When wandering around the streets in Oslo, Norway, you might see workers busy rehabilitating old buildings, but you won’t hear all that construction noise. Why is that?

Cleaner and quieter streets, thanks to the use of more electric construction machinery, are just one way Oslo’s Climate Budget is helping shape the city. The Climate Budget is a fiscal tool that’s integrated into the city’s budgeting process and puts a cap on the amount of climate-warming emissions permitted annually, as well as identifies the most impactful interventions. As a result, Oslo’s Climate Budget is helping achieve a 28% reduction in citywide greenhouse gas emissions and is projected to reduce emissions by 65% by 2030. Oslo is one of five finalists in WRI’s 2024-2025 Ross Center Prize for Cities, which celebrates projects and initiatives building momentum for climate-ready cities. Read more.

Sonja Blom / Alamy

Cement is the second-most consumed material on the planet and is also notoriously tough to decarbonize. Its production process often requires high heat and chemical reactions that produce carbon dioxide emissions. But $6.3 billion in recent funding from the U.S. Department of Energy is being invested in cutting-edge, low-carbon technologies. Read more.

Danita Delimont/Shutterstock

From mangroves to salt marshes to seagrass meadows, “blue carbon ecosystems” are crucial for the coastal communities that rely on them, but their benefits extend beyond the shoreline. Blue carbon ecosystems store 5 times more carbon per area than tropical forests while also absorbing it from the atmosphere 3 times faster. However, these ecosystems are being destroyed at a rapid pace and are at risk of disappearing globally within a century. Read more.

Third Factor Productions/WRI

WRI Africa has a new website! It features reports, Insights articles, data and resources on WRI’s initiatives that are designed to bring inclusive transformation to Africa’s people and landscapes. Read more.