Clean energy is increasingly available in the United States, but historically discriminatory policies make it difficult for low-income households to access these energy sources. The nation’s clean energy transition will only be successful if systemic racism and wealth inequality are addressed. As WRI’s Evana Said and co-authors argue, new legislation — including the recently enacted infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better Act, now being considered by the Senate — can channel clean energy investments to underserved communities. Read more.

G20 countries have relied on business-as-usual and carbon-intensive solutions in their COVID-19 recovery plans — these spending habits are making Paris Agreement goals harder to reach. New WRI research identifies ways G20 governments can set new Paris-aligned recovery policies and interventions, and provides a policy toolkit outlining strategies for making recovery spending more sustainable. Read more.

The Ocean — one of the planet’s most vital resources — is strained by pollution, overfishing and poor management. For years, the lack of clear and up-to-date ocean data has made it difficult for policymakers to understand ocean ecosystems and adopt equitable, integrated approaches to ocean management. WRI’s new Ocean Watch platform is the first extensive, collaborative and user-friendly data platform for the ocean, supporting the flow of data into policy. Read more.