Momentum for fighting climate change has seemingly never been stronger. Nearly every country has pledged to triple renewable energy capacity, halt deforestation and slash super pollutants. Major banks have promised to align their financing with the world’s climate goals. And that’s just a sample of the commitments emerging from both the public and private spheres. 

But are leaders actually following through on their promises? 

WRI’s new Climate Commitment Tracker measures progress on some of the world’s biggest climate pledges to date, showing where countries and companies have made important strides — and where they’re falling behind. 

Negotiations on the new climate finance goal — the big-ticket item at this month’s UN climate summit (COP29) — are moving in circles. After the first full week of talks, basic questions about the goal’s size and format remain unanswered. WRI’s Global Climate Director Melanie Robinson breaks down three key elements negotiators must agree on by the end of the week to deliver a successful outcome. 

Jessica Soraia turned her life around by moving to a former oil palm plantation in the Amazon — once-barren land now transformed into a thriving farming community. She and hundreds of other families on Brazil’s farm settlements are showing that it’s possible to earn a living off the land and restore its health at the same time. 

Major brands like Nike, Samsung and Apple have been lobbying Vietnam’s government for years to get easier access to renewable energy in the country. Thanks in part to their efforts, companies in one of the world’s biggest manufacturing hubs now have direct access to clean power for the first time ever. 

Our analysis shows that electric school bus (ESB) adoption in the U.S. is gaining speed. Once largely concentrated in the Western U.S., electric school buses are now seeing their highest growth rates in New England and the Midwest, making school commutes cleaner and safer for thousands of children.