Shows
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusPreparing the World for Proactive Energy Planning: WRI Recaps the Clean Energy MinisterialPaving the way to COP29 next month and COP30 in 2025, Brazil hosted an impactful Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) at the beginning of October. WRI experts met with global leaders all week, laying a foundation for Latin American countries to demand enabling regulatory frameworks for renewable energy deployment and financing — two topics that regional expert peers also highlighted during our discussion. It’s critical to enact policies in emerging markets that allow private and public finance to flow into and upgrade energy systems.
Episode Guests:
- Sylvana Bohrt, International Clean Energy Associate, WRI Energy Program
- Ana Teixeira, Country Transition Analyst, Bloo...2024-10-2238 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusLatin America Leads the Clean Energy Transition: WRI Previews the Clean Energy MinisterialThe Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is the annual COP of energy where the major drivers of responses to climate change and clean energy solutions can hammer out what the future global energy system could and should look like. It’s a perfect chance ahead of COP29 to gather, deliberate and plan for a decarbonized planet.
WRI experts will be on the ground in Brazil all week (September 30 – October 4) sharing their expertise and collaborating with renewable energy industry leaders to advance clean energy in Latin America, a region that’s surprisingly less dependent on fossil fuels than most. .
In addition to provid...2024-09-3032 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusTurning Up Clean Energy in Asia: Slashing Scope 3 Emissions in ChinaChina’s impact on global supply chains is unparalleled, so decarbonizing the businesses that set up shop in that country — from fashion sector leaders like Decathlon to food & beverage behemoths like Budweiser – is paramount to meeting international energy targets.
In the third episode of this series, you’ll hear about the different strategies the CSP team in China is using to slash Scope 3 emissions, which typically make up a majority of a corporation’s carbon footprint.
WRI China researchers laid out a sector-wide blueprint to begin their science-based decarbonization journey and partnered with major brands to model a new strategy for increas...2024-08-2137 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusTurning Up Clean Energy in Asia: Decarbonizing Healthcare in IndiaDelivering healthcare is a 24/7 job. But what happens when the electricity supply – necessary for so many critical procedures and equipment, medications, and operating facilities – is unreliable? Hear how HSBC India partnered with WRI India to finance solar power and battery energy storage solutions for rural healthcare facilities across three Indian states of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Assam.
Creating a consistent electrification plan has improved service for more than 400,000 patients. Ensuring reliable, renewable energy means that health facilities can focus on what they do best; serving their patients safely. Shivani Shah, Senior Communications Manager, talks about the successes and challenges of scaling sola...2024-07-1733 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusImpact of the 2024 Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF)Looking back on the Asian Development Bank’s Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF), WRI experts, Marlon Apanada and Jennie Chen explain the important role that WRI plays as a thought-leader, as well as convening stakeholders and implementing innovating solutions to help Asia achieve its clean energy transition goals.
Apanada and Chen explore pre-conference predictions and anticipate upcoming major regional agreements that will impact the future of renewable energy on the continent, as well as how WRI’s work aids Asia in meeting these goals while ensuring benefits for people, nature and climate.2024-06-1324 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI at ACEF - Behind The Scenes #2As ACEF 2024 wraps up, WRI brings you a closer look at the innovative aspects of agrivoltaics that China is tapping into to reach its goal of tripling renewable energy by 2030. Looking beyond the clean energy conference, Shengnian Xu, a research associate in WRI China’s Energy program, sees WRI being well-positioned to help lead the global discussions around critical minerals...a topic that dominated the discussions at the Asian Development Bank’s week-long event.
Check out our full coverage of ACEF at: https://www.wri.org/podcasts2024-06-0613 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI at ACEF 2024 - Behind The ScenesAfter the first couple of days at ACEF 2024, WRI experts talk about how their work ties into the forum’s overall goals – specifically about how India’s goal of installing 500 GW of clean energy capacity and Indonesia’s plan to decarbonizing difficult to abate industries can be achieved in a manner that doesn’t leave anyone behind.
Nada Zuhaira, a Net-Zero Research Analyst with WRI Indonesia’s Energy program and Sandhya Sundararagavan, the Energy Transition Program Head for WRI India’s Energy Program, take you behind the scenes of the Asia’s premier clean energy gathering and share some highlights about who WRI is...2024-06-0517 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusVoices on Supply Chains Episode 1 - The Lack Of Worker PowerModern supply chains are global, complex, and touch nearly everyone in some way — you’re either part of the production process for a given commodity, a consumer of that product or service, or both. However, current supply chain practices fail to properly value our natural resources and the people working within them.
Over the course of three episodes, you'll hear from a dozen experts who will explain why centering people is an effective strategy for large corporations to meet their supply chain sustainability goals. This first episode is focused on a key missing ingredient in most corporate plans: the voices of s...2024-04-1724 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Big Ideas Into Action #65: where does Carbon Dioxide Removal fit in?Carbon Dioxide Removal promises to be an important tool in fighting climate change, but how can countries best use it as they reduce their emissions? WRI recently published a working paper on the challenges and questions surrounding carbon dioxide removal, such as equity, its role in mitigation, and how its use can be monitored. In this WRI podcast Nicholas Walton asks the authors - Katie Lebling, Clea Schumer and Danielle Riedl - about their findings and recommendations.2023-11-2128 min
The Energy PodEpisode 1: Offshore Wind in India: Technical and Financial AspectsIndia has a vast and favourable coastline with a potential to produce over 70 Gigawatts of offshore wind energy off the coasts of two states alone – Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and yet there is not a single windmill in the Indian Ocean. There are multiple challenges that need to be addressed for setting up of offshore projects.
In this first episode of the offshore wind podcast series at WRI India's The Energy Pod, we discuss the technical and financial aspects involving the setting up of offshore wind energy projects in India.
We begin with a conve...2023-06-1424 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #62: Climate-vulnerable countries and COP27The evidence continues to mount that the climate crisis is urgent, and action needs to be taken now to avert it and to minimise its impacts. Nowhere is this more true than for those vulnerable countries who are most at risk from its impacts. Many of these countries are part of a grouping called ACT2025, which tries to ensure that their voices are heard. So what exactly do they want?
In this podcast we hear from Preety Bhandari of WRI, and Maria Laura Rojas of Transforma, an ACT2025 partner in Colombia. The presenter and producer is Nicholas Walton.
For more:
...2022-11-0415 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #60: Fiji and the Climate Finance challengeWhy is climate finance such an important issue, and how does it affect the world's most climate-vulnerable countries? In this podcast we look at the Pacific island nation of Fiji, which is on the frontline of climate change-related impacts such as coral bleaching, sea level rises, and extreme weather events.
Fiji's attempts to meet this challenge were dealt a severe blow by Cyclone Winston and then - especially - the Covid 19 pandemic, which hit the tourism-dependent economy very hard. In this WRI podcast we hear about the challenges, the solutions that are being found, and the central role that climate...2022-10-2816 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #59: 40 years of climate action at WRIThe World Resources Institute is now 40 years old, but how have the world's climate challenges changed in that time? And how has WRI evolved to meet them?
In this podcast, Ani Dasgupta talks about 4 decades of climate action, about technology, growing global awareness of climate change, and the need to make sure climate action is about equity as well as carbon reduction. Former WRI presidents Gus Speth and Jonathan Lash also feature.
WRI Big Ideas Into Action podcasts are produced and presented by Nicholas Walton.2022-09-1424 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Big Ideas Into Action #57: international implications of the Inflation Reduction ActThe Inflation Reduction Act that has been signed into law by President Biden is seen as good news for US efforts to combat climate change. But what are the international implications of the Act?
In this short podcast the President of WRI, Ani Dasgupta, talks about how the Act will add momentum to international climate action with Nicholas Walton.
You can find out more here:
* 6 benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act: https://www.wri.org/insights/inflation-reduction-act-benefits
* WRI statement about the Inflation Reduction Act: https://www.wri.org/news/statement-us-house-representatives-passes-inflation-reduction-act-historic-climate-measures2022-08-2209 min
The Energy PodCould building grid-resilience support greater RE uptake by utilities?In the India's southern state of Kerala, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is the main power utility that supplies electricity, but there are smaller, state-run players like KINESCO, which focuses to serve commercial and industrial consumers in the textile, food processing and information technology parks in about three districts. As C&I consumers increasingly seek renewable energy to achieve their sustainability goals, discoms like KINESCO must strategise to cater to them. As a first step, KINESCO recently signed an MoU with WRI India to conduct a study to recommend building resilience within KINESCO's distribution infrastructure to better serve...2022-07-1313 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Big Ideas Into Action #56: Just Transition in IndiaSome cases of just transition are obvious - such as finding replacement jobs and taxation money when a local coal-fired power station closes down. But as we transition towards a low-carbon economy some other impacts on livelihoods and communities may not be so easy to predict.
This case study from Karnatka in India examines the unintended consequences of building a vast new solar energy farm on seemingly underused land. It is the fourth in WRI's Just Transition In Action podcast series. In the previous three episodes we dealt with broad just transition issues and looked at case studies in both...2022-07-0611 min
The Energy PodCould Indian utilities scale offering renewable energy?Electricity has long been a political issue in India, and one of the sops that political parties often promise during election campaigns is free power particularly for farming and low-income communities. But this has long posed a challenge for Indian utilities, or, discoms as they are called in India. This has led to bulk power purchasers in India, typically big industries, whom we call 'commercial and industrial' consumers being charged a premium for the power they consume to compensate for the losses incurred due to subsidies, and also, often due to low-rates fixed by various states’ electricity regulatory commissions. Re...2022-07-0526 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Big Ideas Into Action #55: Just Transition in the United StatesWhen a coal-fired power station near the US-Canada border closed, what happened to the local community, shorn of its jobs and the healthy tax revenues that it brought in? As the world shifts toward renewable energy we need to grasp the challenges that this throws up, finding new funding and sources of jobs and economic growth, while enjoying opportunities such as reduced pollution and lower carbon emissions. Learning from what's happened in previous case studies will help us to identify challenges, opportunities and solutions.
This case study from upstate New York is the third in WRI's Just Transition In Action...2022-06-3012 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Big Ideas Into Action #54: Just Transition in AustraliaWhat happens to the workers and communities connected to an Australian coal-fired power station when it is closed down? As the world shifts towards renewable energy more fossil fuel-fired power stations will close down. Learning from what's happened in previous case studies will help us to identify challenges, opportunities and solutions.
This case study from Australia is the second in WRI's Just Transition In Action podcast series. In the opening episode we looked at the broad issues, and after this one we'll be looking at two further case studies in India and in the US.
We’ve also got a sp...2022-06-2813 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Big Ideas Into Action #53: What is a Just Transition?It’s one of the thorniest issues in the shift to low carbon economies – what happens to those whose lives, livelihoods and communities are left behind as we move away from fossil fuels. To help examine these transitions we've put together a podcast miniseries that looks at the challenges, opportunities and solutions of just transition.
In this Just Transition In Action podcast series we’ve this opening podcast looking at the broad issues, and then we'll examine three case studies – from Australia, India and the US – and ask what we can learn from them.
We’ve also got a special resource sec...2022-06-2315 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #51: Cycling and the Sustainable CityMany governments and authorities started to build cycling infrastructure during the Covid-19 lockdowns, but were these developments temporary or the foundation of a permanent shift towards truly cyclable cities?
In this WRI Big Ideas Into Action podcast we hear that many of those cities are starting to make things permanent, and - of course - why helping to get more people out of cars and onto bicycles is a good thing for them, for the cities, and for the environment as well. In this podcast we hear from Jill Warren of the European Cyclist’s Federation in Brussels, Carlota Pederson Ma...2022-05-2026 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #49: the IPCC reports on climate changeThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has delivered its latest three reports, covering climate science, the impacts of climate change, and the actions necessary to minimise the damage. In this podcast we hear from two WRI experts, Sophia Boehm and Preety Bhandari, on the content of the reports and what they will be watching to see if the world is turning their analysis into effective action.
WRI Big Ideas Into Action podcasts are written, produced and presented by Nicholas Walton. This podcast features part of a recording of the IPCC's press conference launching the third of its 2022 reports.
For more...2022-04-1316 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #48: Ukraine, energy and foodBeyond the immediate human suffering, what are the wider implications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on energy and food? This is an edited, public version of a WRI press call examining the issues and the questions that will need to be asked in the coming months and years.
The podcast features four WRI experts: Stientje van Veldhoven, Craig Hanson, Jennifer Layke and Dan Lashof. It was produced and presented by Nicholas Walton. For more, go to www.wri.org/podcasts2022-03-3136 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #47: Stories To Watch deeper dive into climate justiceWhat is climate justice, and how do we ensure that climate action helps to address rather than exacerbate inequalities in the world? After all, those that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change are often in poorer countries with fewer means to address their worsening situation - and yet they have done less to cause the problem of climate change than those in richer countries.
This deeper dive looking at climate justice is the fourth of a short series of WRI podcasts looking at the individual subjects of our Stories To Watch project for 2022, and features Nate Shelter...2022-03-1809 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #46: achieving clean air for girls and womenHow much do air quality and pollution issues affect women and girls, and how much can solutions to those problems be helped by making sure they have a seat at the decision-making table?
These are the decisions addressed in this podcast timed to coincide with International Women's Day. The podcast features Gillian Caldwell of USAID, Azra Khan of WRI, and Debby Thalita of the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law. Alice Gottesman helped with the interviews, and it was presented and produced by Nicholas Walton.
Useful links:
WRI blog on Air Quality: https://www.climatelinks.org/blog/women-transportation-and-air-pollution-india
WRI Air Quality...2022-03-0818 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #45: Stories To Watch deeper dive into the environment/pandemic linkWith the world continuing to struggle with the cost of the Covid 19 pandemic, what are the chances that humanity's continued ill-treatment of nature will lead to the emergence of future diseases? What are the issues and questions behind the link between environmental degradation and disease that we need to be examining?
This deeper dive looking at pandemics and biodiversity is the third of a short series of WRI podcasts looking at the individual subjects of our Stories To Watch project for 2022, and features Krista Karch, Chip Barber and Ani Dasgupta. It was produced and presented by Nicholas Walton.
For more...2022-02-2414 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #44: Stories To Watch deeper dive on electric mobilityOne of the biggest challenges of a transition to a low carbon world is to change the way we get around. Electrifying transport is a key element of this, but it's about far more than selling electric cars and installing charging points in the cities of the rich world. But what are the issues and questions that we need to be examining?
This deeper dive looking at electric mobility is the second of a short series of WRI podcasts looking at the individual subjects of our Stories To Watch project for 2022, and features Kar Lopez, Claudia Adriazola Steil, and Ani...2022-02-1712 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #43: Stories To Watch deeper dive on coalCoal is one of the most potent drivers of climate change. Phasing it out is critical for cutting harmful emissions and transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Yet despite rising commitments to do so, many countries seem to want to hang on to coal. Why?
This deeper dive looking at coal is the first of a short series of WRI podcasts looking at the individual subjects of our Stories To Watch project for 2022, and features Joel Jaeger, Jennifer Layke and Ani Dasgupta. It was produced and presented by Nicholas Walton.
For more, go to:
www.wri.org/stories-to-watch
www.wri.org...2022-02-1014 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #41: WRI's Stories To Watch 2022What are the Stories To Watch for 2022? Every year WRI works out what the important ones are for the year ahead and presents them to the world. This podcast - with Ani Dasgupta interviewed by Nicholas Walton - looks at the background and inside story of those Stories, and the big changes in the world that have informed them.
To read more about WRI's Stories To Watch 2022 go to www.wri.org/stories-to-watch.2022-01-1922 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #30: ACT2025 - AdaptationACT2025: Adaptation - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025
This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change.
We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a groupi...2021-10-0415 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #29: ACT2025 - Loss and DamageACT2025: Loss and Damage - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025
This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change.
We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined...2021-10-0417 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #28: ACT2025 - FinanceACT2025: Finance - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025
This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 are seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change.
We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a groupi...2021-10-0418 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #27: ACT2025 - RulesACT2025: Rules - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025
This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change.
We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a grouping called...2021-10-0415 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #26: ACT2025 - AmbitionACT2025: Ambition - for more go to www.wri.org/ACT2025
This new series of World Resources Institute podcasts looks at what vulnerable countries want from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Success at COP26 is seen as critical if the world is going to avoid catastrophic climate change.
We’re increasingly familiar with what many of the world’s richer and larger countries are saying ahead of the conference, about their apparent ambitions to make reductions in the amount of carbon they’re putting into the atmosphere. But what of smaller, poorer, more vulnerable nations? Many have joined a groupi...2021-10-0417 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #25: How does Ani Dasgupta see the world's greatest environmental challenges?The recent IPCC report underlines just how grave and urgent the environmental challenges facing us are. But how should we frame such challenges in a way that helps us to find solutions - not just to climate change, but to the array of other issues, from food and forests to energy, cities, water and oceans.
Who better to ask these questions than WRI’s new president, Ani Dasgupta? In this podcast he tells Nicholas Walton about how his childhood in Delhi shaped his understanding of the links between the environment, development and equity, and explains the WRI approach to finding so...2021-08-1721 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #23: Who won the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities?The WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities is the premier global award celebrating and spotlighting transformative urban change, and its winner for 2020-21 has been announced. Which finalist won the $250,000 first prize?
The 5 finalists were from Ahmedabad in India, London in the UK, Rosario in Argentina, Kibera in Kenya, and Monterrey in Mexico. Each would have been a worthy winner, each finding innovative and inspiring ways to meet environmental urban challenges in equitable and sustainable ways.
For more on the Prize go to https://prizeforcities.org, and the Cities Program part of www.wri.org.2021-07-0213 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #21: WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities finalistsThe WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities is the premier global award celebrating and spotlighting transformative urban change. The five finalists for the 2020-21 prize come from five very different urban environments - in Kenya, Argentina, Mexico, India and the United Kingdom - but all demonstrate how effectively innovative ideas can tackle inequality and climate change.
In this podcast we hear about all five finalists, and what makes each of them special. Anne Maassen, WRI's global lead on the prize, explains the challenges faced by residents in each of the five urban areas, and the solutions they've come up with.
...2021-06-1025 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #20: How Data is Helping Protect Cameroon’s ForestsCameroon sits just north of the equator, right on the edge of the vast Congo River basin. It has around 20 million hectares of tropical forest, mainly in the south, but according to data on Global Forest Watch it has lost nearly 4 percent of its primary forest since 2002. Knowing this about what's happening to Cameroon's forest is one thing, however, and doing something about it is another. Or is it?
This podcast is about how satellite data translates into action to protect the forests on the ground. Nicholas Walton talks to an NGO worker, a journalist and a WRI staff member...2021-06-0226 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #19: Women and land rightsEnsuring that women have equal access to land rights, as well as a strong and respected voice in decision making, makes an enormous difference to the prosperity of communities across the world. This episode examines the issue, following the WRI report "On Equal Ground".
This episode features women in Mexico, Cameroon and Indonesia, explaining why this issue matters, especially at a time when the Covid pandemic is harming economic life and land is being sold to large-scale commercial agricultural companies.
The WRI report can be found here: https://www.wri.org/research/equal-ground-promising-practices-realizing-womens-rights-collectively-held-lands2021-05-1021 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #16: the Faces of Restoration in BrazilHere at WRI we’re used to talking about big ideas, big concepts and big things – from the climate to the ocean to the great cities and forests. But what about the people that we work with, those people all around the world who face the great environmental challenges of our age and are looking for solutions?
Over in WRI Brasil, some of our colleagues came up with a way to put some of those people squarely in focus, in a series of videos and longform articles that they’ve called Faces of Restoration. You can see them at www.wri.or...2021-04-1317 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #13: how and why to tackle food wasteFood loss and waste is a big deal. It means that a third of the food the world produces never gets eaten, and that carries a cost in terms of carbon, food security, biodiversity loss and health. A quarter of all water used by agriculture is in turn lost because it's used to grow food that's not eaten. So what is to be done?
In this podcast I turned to Liz Goodwin, WRI's lead on food loss and waste for the overall picture. I heard from Toine Timmermans of Wageningen University about how behaviour change makes a difference in reducing...2021-03-1129 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action Podcast #12: Texas, India and energy resilienceIn February 2021 Texas was hit by extremely cold weather. People died, transport ground to a halt, and the state's energy system failed. Demand spiked as people tried to keep warm, just as vital parts of the infrastructure froze.
In this WRI Big Ideas Into Action podcast we're looking at energy resilience. What are the lessons of Texas, and - as the world pushes towards low-carbon and renewable energy - what's the situation elsewhere in the world? We hear from WRI experts in both India and the US about what can be done and what is being done.
For more, go...2021-03-0221 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig Ideas Into Action #6: Getting power to the peopleNearly 800 million people around the world lack secure access to the energy they need. Health services, schools, businesses and farms all need reliable electricity if they are to work properly. So how do you improve access to energy?
This episode of WRI's 'Big Ideas Into Action' podcast is about electricity access, and about using data to match up opportunity with potential impact. From India we hear about hospitals in Jharkhand and emergency flood shelters in Assam, and from East Africa we hear about helping businesses and farmers use energy to flourish.
This is the last in this relaunched series of...2020-11-0225 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig ideas into action #5: Sustainable cities need safe roadsIs a city truly sustainable if pedestrians, cyclists and children are being killed and injured on its roads? Over 55% of the world's people now live in cities, but while this has brought opportunities it's also meant traffic jams, pollution and road accidents. They’re now the number one killer of children and young adults between the ages of 5 and 24.
In this WRI 'Big ideas into action' podcast we look at the impact of road safety, its connection to urban development and sustainability issues, and ask what can be done to make roads safer. We hear from Istanbul, Addis Ababa and Bo...2020-10-2820 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig ideas into action #4: empowering people against pollutionMillions of people in low and middle income countries around the world are affected by problems such as pollution in the air, the soil, the water, but don’t know what they can do about it. In the fourth of this relaunched series of WRI's Ideas Into Action podcasts we take a look at WRI's STRIPE project, which is helping people around the world combat pollution.
In this podcast we hear about the challenges facing fishermen in Indonesia and communities in Mongolia, and we hear from a Jamaican lawyer who has helped reduce the health problems near bauxite mines. We al...2020-10-1524 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig ideas into action #3: solving water-related conflictHow much of a role does water play in conflict, and how do you solve such challenges? These are the key questions at the heart of the third "Big ideas into action" podcast from WRI.
This week we focus on the work of the Water, Peace and Security partnership, drawing together everything from on-the-ground insights to AI and big data to identify where water stresses are likely to lead to conflict, and then help resolve conflicts once they have broken out.
You can find more of our relaunched "Big ideas into action" podcasts at You can also find us at...2020-10-0826 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusBig ideas into action #2: restoration in RwandaWhat is landscape restoration, and what does it look like on the ground? In this second WRI "Big ideas into action" podcast we travel to Rwanda, to hear from the villagers, the entrepreneur and the woman working to educate the nation's schoolchildren about the importance of nature.
Restoration is about far more than planting trees - it's about restoring degraded landscapes, growing those trees, repairing soils and harnessing nature as a solution to development challenges. As well as hearing from Rwanda's people, we'll get some expert context from WRI's Forests Program liaison on the ground and WRI Africa's regional director.
...2020-10-0126 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI#55 Development Banks and #BuildingBackBetterWhat is the role of finance and multilateral development banks in #BuildingBackBetter in the wake of the Covid crisis? Sir Suma Chakrabarti, the outgoing president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, was the special guest at a WRI webinar looking into the priorities for the sector.2020-07-0716 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI#53 Food security and #BuildingBackBetterHow has the food system fared during the #Covid19 crisis? A recent WRI webinar explored that question, from Colombia to Nigeria to China, and across the globe. What failed and what succeeded, and what lessons did we learn about how the food system needs to work in the time of crisis. This is a shortened, condensed version of that webinar - you can hear the full-length version on the events page at wri.org.2020-06-2222 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI#52 A Sustainable Ocean EconomyHow - and why - do you build a sustainable ocean economy? WRI's Andrew Steer asks 4 experts affiliated with the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (@OceanPanel on Twitter) what the transition to this would look like, and why it is so important for livelihoods, ocean life and the planet's climate. The speakers are Peter Thomson, Jane Lubchenco, Mary Ruckelshaus and Vidar Helgesen. 14 national leaders are part of the Ocean Panel. Together their countries account for 30% of the world's coastlines, 20% of the world's shipping fleet and 20% of the world's fisheries, and they are building momentum toward a sustainable...2020-06-1632 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI#51 Global tree cover loss figures with Frances SeymourWRI's Frances Seymour takes Nicholas Walton through the latest global tree loss figures from Global Forest Watch. The overall picture is bad, but there are positive signs in Indonesia and West Africa. Will the rest of the world learn from them?2020-06-0219 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI#50 Resilience after Covid19How do you #BuildBackBetter in a more resilient way after COVID19? This is the shortened version of a live WRI webinar on resilience, featuring Christina Chan, Ulrika Akesson, Sheela Patel, Maarten van Aalst and Rosemary Atieno. More at www.wri.org/coronavirus-recovery2020-05-1426 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI#49 How can cities #BuildBackBetter after Covid19?This is the fifth in a WRI series looking at the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and asking how we can build back better. This podcast is all about the world’s cities. It is taken from a public webinar looking at everything from the physical form of cities to their finances to their communities – especially the poor. The panelists include Sameh Wahba, Sheela Patel, Henk Ovink, Ani Dasgupta and Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
For more information, visit: https://www.wri.org/events/2020/04/webinar-build-back-better-cities-frontlines-covid-192020-05-0425 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI#48 How can public transport #BuildBackBetter after Covid19?The fourth in a World Resources Institute series looking at the impact of the Covid 19 crisis and asking how we can build back better. This podcast focuses on the critical role of public transport around the world, bringing in issues such as employment, revenue and equity. Go to wri.org/coronavirus-recovery for more from us on the challenges ahead.2020-04-3021 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusHow the US can #BuildBackBetter after Covid-19This is the second in a WRI series looking at how we can #buildbackbetter following the covid 19 crisis. This is a shortened version of the WRI webinar on how the US can shape its stimulus package, and hosted by WRI’s Dan Lashof. The expert perspectives are from Devashree Saha, Richard Kauffman, Cathy Zoi, Chris Castro and Lauren Faber2020-04-1529 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #46: The Covid-19 crisis and how the world can #BuildBackBetterHow can the world #BuildBackBetter from the Covid crisis? WRI's experts from across the world share their thoughts about how we can build a more sustainable and resilient world, looking at Africa, the climate, cities, China, the US and across the globe. This is from the first WRI #BuildBackBetter public webinar - we'll be holding a series to go to the events page on our website to register.2020-04-0642 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #44: Jane Lubchenco's New Narrative for the OceanJane Lubchenco is one of the world's foremost ocean ecologists. Formerly the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, she is now a co-chair of the expert group for the High Level Panel for the Sustainable Ocean Economy. She's interviewed on this podcast by Lawrence MacDonald, vice president of communications at WRI.2020-02-1930 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #43: A Mother for Road Safety with Zoleka MandelaAs an advocate for road safety, Zoleka Mandela draws on her grandfather's legacy in speaking out against the injustice of the hidden epidemic that threatens children, especially in the developing world. In this podcast, she is joined by Claudia Adriazola-Steil, director for health & road safety at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, as they discuss the unimaginable toll--emotional and economic--taken by road deaths, and what we can do to turn this loss into action. Interview by WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald.2020-01-2717 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #42: Making Palm Oil Sustainable with Andika PutraditamaAndika Putraditama, sustainable commodities manager with WRI Indonesia, breaks down how producers and consumers of palm oil can work together through certification programs to protect vulnerable peatlands, reverse deforestation and avoid associated carbon pollution, all while continuing to grow Indonesia's economy. WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald hosts.2020-01-2127 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #41: Water, Peace and Security with Charlie IcelandCombining socioeconomic data and WRI's Aqueduct water stress tool with record of conflict, the Water, Peace and Security project attempts to track indicators of resource-fueled conflict as they arise. Nicholas Walton talks to Charlie Iceland, director of national and global water initiatives at WRI, about the tool's development and promise.2019-12-0415 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI COP25 Press BriefingNegotiators will soon gather in Madrid at COP25 (December 2 to December 13, 2019)to iron out rules for international carbon markets and prepare for the consequential year of 2020, when countries should put forward more ambitious climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. While nearly 70 countries intend to step up their climate commitments, these nations account for only 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
This is the recording of a press call on what to expect at COP25, featuring Andrew Steer, WRI President & CEO and international climate policy experts Yamide Dagnet and David Waskow, who discussed the most consequential and contentious negotiation topics li...2019-11-2147 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #40: Royal Reception for Food and Land UseNicholas Walton with WRI Europe speaks with Paul Polman, co-chair of the Food and Land Use Coalition and the former CEO of Unilever, about the potential for land-use change to drive emissions or be part of the climate solution. The conversation is bookended by a few words from Ed Davey with the Food and Land Use Coalition.2019-11-1815 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #39: Solutions to the Global Water Crisis with Betsy OttoWRI Water Program Director Betsy Otto knows the world should be stressed about water: her team's research showed this year that one-quarter of the world's population lives in extreme water stress. In this conversation with WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald, though, she talks about the solutions--technological, political, and managerial--that we can apply to alleviate the strain.2019-11-1122 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #38: New Law Makes Roads Safer for IndiaRoad safety is a worldwide epidemic. WRI's Claudia Adriazola-Steil (director, health & road safety) and Amit Bhatt (director, integrated urban transport, WRI India)talk with our host, VP for Communications Lawrence MacDonald, about a life-saving new law in India.2019-09-3024 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Press Call -- What Did the U.N. Climate Action Summit Accomplish?Following Friday’s largest climate protest in history, leaders from government, business and civil society came together for the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit on September 23 to offer strategies on how to address the global climate emergency. The summit featured speeches from over 60 country leaders.
World Resources Institute hosted a press call with leading experts on international climate policy to share their reflections on the summit. Which countries stepped up to Guterres’ challenge to bring concrete plans – and which failed to do so? Are these international diplomatic settings up to task of combating the climate crisis? Which initiatives were announced that are po...2019-09-2454 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #37: From Renewables to 100% Clean Energy with John WoolardIn a recent commentary, John Woolard, a Senior Fellow in World Resources Institute’s Energy Program, argues that it’s time for consumers to shift their focus from adding more renewables to committing to 100% zero-carbon energy. Woolard recently sat down with WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald to talk about the most effective ways to deliver affordable, clean power to the grid and why it’s crucial to examine the carbon emissions produced per unit of electricity.2019-07-3033 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #36: Understanding Chennai's Day Zero with Raj Bhagat and AqueductIn this podcast, WRI Europe's Nicholas Walton interviews Raj Bhagat of WRI India's Bengaluru office about his research into the causes of Chennai's recent water problems. Delving deep into the history of the city, the monsoon cycle and local management, Bhagat identifies not only a need to invest in infrastructure but to protect people. Also includes a conversation with Rutger Hofste, an associate with WRI's Water program, about how the Aqueduct platform can help journalists, researchers and the public understand how water stress affects them.2019-07-0217 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #35: Transportation is the Heart of Cities with Robin Chase and Harriet TregoningMobility is a gateway to opportunity, and transportation can make cities more wonderful, livable and equitable. WRI Vice President Lawrence MacDonald is joined by Robin Chase and Harriet Tregoning to talk about the New Urban Mobility alliance (NUMO) and how they are building better cities for all.
Chase is the Executive Chair and Tregoning is the Director of NUMO.2019-05-1423 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #34: Indigenous Land Rights Could Accelerate Progress on Sustiainable Development GoalsAbout half of the world's land is collectively held. In this podcast, WRI Vice President Lawrence MacDonald interviews Peter Veit, director of the Land and Resource Rights Initiative in the Governance Center at WRI, about the social, environmental and economic case for securing tenure for indigenous and community lands.2019-05-0719 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #33: How to Market Sustainable Food with Daniel VennardWRI Better Buying Lab Director Daniel Vennard sits down with WRI Vice President Lawrence MacDonald to talk about his research into menu language, including the commentary "It's All In a Name: How to Boost the Sales of Plant-Based Menu Items." They talk about the link between his work and social marketing, how your brain models taste while you're ordering, and why "vegetarian" and "vegan" might not be the language that shifts the majority of the population to more sustainable diets.
https://www.wri.org/news/its-all-name-how-boost-sales-plant-based-menu-items2019-04-1719 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #32: Creating a Sustainable Food FutureThree authors of WRI's World Resources Report, "Creating a Sustainable Food Future: A Menu of Solutions for Feeding Nearly 10 Billion People by 2050" join WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald to talk about how we'll feed the world without destroying the planet. Features Janet Ranganathan, Tim Searchinger, and Richard Waite.2019-04-0926 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #31: Restoring Latin America's ForestsThe 20x20 Initiative aims to restore 20 million hectares of land throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. In this episode, WRI Vice President Lawrence MacDonald interviews Walter Vergara, a senior fellow and forests and climate specialist at WRI, alongside Etienne Demarais, CEO of Ecotierra, an agroforestry project developer with work throughout Latin America.2019-04-0114 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #30: Visiting Central Africa's Forests with Molly BergenWRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald interviews Molly Bergen, the Central Africa Communications Officer for WRI's Forests Program. Structured around recordings from Bergen's visits to central Africa--think elephants, song and markets--this podcast explores her unique role within WRI, working for more sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin.2019-03-2617 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #29: Air Quality with Jessica SeddonIn this episode, WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald interviews Jessica Seddon, director of integrated urban strategy for the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, about her work to improve air quality around the world. Beginning with her time as an academic in San Diego, where she first realized the importance of air quality, we follow her through years in India before she came to WRI, learning about the ways that air quality intersects with health, agriculture, and even renewable energy.2019-03-0421 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast#28: What to Watch in the Green New DealWRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald is joined by Dan Lashof and Christina DeConcini to talk about what they're watching for in a Green New Deal.
Dan Lashof is director of WRI United States. Christina DeConcini is director of government affairs for WRI.2019-02-1921 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #27: What's Next for Renewables in US?Lori Bird, Director of U.S. Energy at WRI, sits down with WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald to talk about the tech (batteries and rooftop solar), policy (net metering and RPS), movements and politics that are powering the renewables surge in the United States.2018-12-1121 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #26: Electric Buses, Reduced Food Waste, and Greener Delivery Through PartnershipsP4G Global Director Ian de Cruz is interviewed by WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald, offering updates on the first round of exciting P4G-funded projects. These public-private partnerships include projects that fund electric buses in Latin America, reduce food loss and waste in Indonesia and make delivery services in China greener. But how are such projects identified? What makes them successful? Ian answers these questions and more--and details P4G's call for a new, 2019 round of applications.2018-11-3016 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusEmbargoed: Press Call to Preview WRI’s Global Report on Creating a Sustainable Food FutureEmbargoed: Press Call to Preview WRI’s Global Report on Creating a Sustainable Food Future by WRI's Big Ideas Into Action podcast2018-11-2939 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Press Call: Paris RulebookWRI Press Call: Paris Rulebook by WRI's Big Ideas Into Action podcast2018-11-081h 07World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #25: 8 Things to Know About the IPCC 1.5 ReportEvery tenth of a degree matters. That's the message of the IPCC's 1.5 Degrees Report, which summarizes the distinctions between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius of warming for responding to climate change. Limiting warming to 1.5 will require massive transformation, but, as WRI Senior Associate Kelly Levin explains, bending the curve will help avoid huge costs from climate impacts.
In this podcast, WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald interviews Levin about her recent blog post, visible here:
https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/10/8-things-you-need-know-about-ipcc-15-c-report2018-11-0617 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #24: Financing Climate AdaptationMaybe sustainable development and climate adaptation are two names for the same thing.
In this edition of the WRI Podcast, Christina Chan (WRI Climate Resilience Practice) and Niranjali Amerasinghe (WRI Sustainable Finance Center) discuss why adaptation and development are often handled by different agencies, how they are paid for, and why they should be tackled hand-in-hand.
WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald hosts.2018-10-1020 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #23: Using Social Network Analysis to Supercharge Sustainable DevelopmentTo restore a physical landscape, it helps to understand the social landscape.
Social network analysis has been used in fields as diverse as epidemiology and counterterrorism. Now, WRI experts have devised a guidebook for applying social network analysis to environmental interventions and sustainable development. Kathleen Buckingham, Sabin Ray, Ruchika Singh and Satrio Wikacsono discuss the guidebook and case studies from India and Indonesia with Lawrence MacDonald, WRI vice president for communications.2018-10-0421 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #22: How WRI Put Climate Change on the Public Agenda with Rafe PomeranceIn the early days at World Resources Institute, founder Gus Speth charged Rafe Pomerance with outreach on climate change. Pomerance went on to organize high-profile hearings in the U.S. Senate that put climate on the policy radar and introduced Jim Hansen to the world. These hearings are the subject of a new issue-length article in the New York Times Magazine, "Losing Earth." (Link below)
In a conversation with WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald, Pomerance returns to WRI to talk about what went into the hearings, what has hindered progress since then and why he thinks Florida is...2018-08-0121 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #21: Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for the OceanFijian diplomat Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean and former President of the UN General Assembly, joins WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald and WRI Ocean Director Kristian Telecki to talk about global progress on monitoring oceans, setting goals, and delivering results.2018-07-0311 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusEmbargoed Press Call: Global Forest Watch previews 2017 tree cover loss dataAt the Oslo Tropical Forest Forum (June 27-28), World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch released brand new 2017 global tree cover loss data, revealing how much forest was lost around the world last year and emerging country hot spots to watch. The new satellite-based data analyzed by the University of Maryland provides a transparent view of how countries are managing this important resource.
On June 21, 2018, at 10:00am EDT/16:00 CEST, WRI hosted a press call to preview the 2017 tree cover loss data findings for reporters. Speakers representing governments and civil society joined WRI experts to share insights from the data, discuss wh...2018-06-2747 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #19: India's Low-Carbon Transition, According to Montek Singh AhluwaliaA leading economist, Montek Singh Ahluwalia served for a decade in the Indian government, retiring in 2014 as Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission--a cabinet-level post. In this conversation with Lawrence MacDonald, vice president for communications at WRI, Ahluwalia discusses India's prospects for transitioning to a low-carbon, high-efficiency economy, and what the world can learn from their successes.2018-06-1419 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #18: Why Stress About Water?In this episode of the WRI Podcast, Charles Iceland, director, Global and National Water Initiatives with WRI's Food, Forests, and Water Programs, explains what water stress is, how we measure it, and why it matters for understanding geopolitics today.2018-06-0521 minWorld Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Press Call: What to Expect at the International Climate Talks in Bonn, COP23On Friday, October 27, at 9:30am EDT, World Resources Institute held a press call where WRI’s president and experts on international climate policy, finance, and adaptation shared insights on what to watch at COP23. Speakers include: Andrew Steer, Paula Caballero, Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, and Christina Chan2017-10-2757 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #17: Sean DeWitt and Miguel Calmon on Restoration in BrazilSean DeWitt, director of the Global Restoration Initiative, and Miguel Calmon, forests director at WRI Brazil, sit down with us to discuss the VERENA Project, an effort to restore Brazilian forests that focuses on native species and pays dividends for farmers, investors and ecology alike.2017-08-2822 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #13 - How We Can Clean the Chesapeake and Save Money In the ProcessThis episode of the World Resources Institute Podcast features special guests from both inside and outside WRI. Cy Jones is a Senior Fellow in WRI’s Water Program, Sara Walker is an Associate in WRI’s Water program and Beth McGee is Director of Science and Agricultural Policy at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Together with Lawrence MacDonald, they discussed how nutrient and water quality trading can help meet the nutrient reduction targets needed to restore the Chesapeake Bay.2017-03-0721 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #12 - Electrifying AfricaAccess to energy can help communities increase the productivity of their labor, earn more income, use household time more efficiently and enhance access to health, education and water.
Still, 1.2 billion households today lack access to electricity connections and millions of households, businesses and community institutions receive poor and inadequate supplies of electricity services. In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 600 million lack access to electricity.
In this episode of the WRI Podcast, Lawrence MacDonald is joined by two WRI energy experts, Lily Odarno and Sanjoy Sanyal, to discuss how advances in data, technology and finance are overcoming barriers for access to energy...2017-02-1620 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #10 - Planning the City of the Future With Ani DasguptaOn this episode of the WRI Podcast, Lawrence MacDonald sits down with Ani Dasgupta, global director of WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.
Dasgupta highlights two recent developments that shed light on how city leaders can tackle these challenges.
The recent Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, brought together leaders from around the world to discuss housing and sustainable urban development. World leaders ultimately agreed on a New Urban Agenda, which will set a course for the next two decades of urban development.
Dasgupta also previews the World Resources Report (WRR), which focuses on how to make cities more equitable...2017-01-1120 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #9: Rising Tides with Christina DeConcini and Forbes TompkinsWRI Podcast #9: Rising Tides with Christina DeConcini and Forbes Tompkins by WRI's Big Ideas Into Action podcast2016-12-2216 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #7 -The Sounds of SustainabilityIn this episode of the WRI Podcast, Lawrence MacDonald sits down with Chip Barber and Austin Clowes of the Forest Legality Initiative to talk about their work on sustainability in the guitar industry.
The music industry sells millions of guitars a year, and the instrument is integral to musical traditions from blues and rock ‘n roll to flamenco and classical music. These traditions rely on specific types of wood, known as tonewoods, to produce the distinctive timbre of the guitar.
Some of these species are endangered by overharvesting and trafficking. Ebony, for example, is used for guitar fretboards, but has be...2016-12-0126 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #6 - Preparing for COP 22 with David Waskow and Paula CaballeroWRI Podcast #6 - Preparing for COP 22 with David Waskow and Paula Caballero by WRI's Big Ideas Into Action podcast2016-11-0408 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #5 - Protecting Drinking Water at the SourceOn this episode of the WRI Podcast Lawrence MacDonald sits down with Todd Gartner, a Senior Associate with the Water team at World Resources Institute and the co-author of a new paper on watershed protection, and Jasmine Qin, a Research Analyst and driving force behind Global Forest Watch – Water. Together, Todd and Jasmine layout the importance of natural infrastructure like forests and wetlands in preserving and protecting the watersheds that provide our communities with water.2016-10-2819 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #4 - Liz Goodwin on Reducing Food Loss and Waste—Lessons from the UKOn this episode of the WRI Podcast, Lawrence MacDonald interviews Liz Goodwin, a WRI senior fellow and our first director of food loss and waste. Goodwin, a British businesswoman and environmentalist, was previously CEO of the Waste Resources & Action Programme (WRAP), which catalyzed a national program that reduced UK food loss and waste by 21 percent, an achievement recognized last year when she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
FAO data has shown that about a third of all food produced is never eaten. If food loss and waste were its own country, it would...2016-10-1820 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #3 - Shifting DietsIn a new podcast, WRI's Lawrence Macdonald chats with Janet Ranganathan and Richard Waite, authors of a new paper, Shifting Diets for a Sustainable Food Future. The paper shows that eating less meat, particularly beef, and moving toward diets with a greater share of plant-based foods reduces pressure on forests and land, lowers greenhouse gas emissions and sets us up for a more sustainable future.
The paper also tackles the crucial question of how to shift people's diets at scale, an issue we take up in the second half of the podcast.2016-06-2927 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #2: A Conversation With WRI President Andrew SteerWRI Podcast #2: A Conversation With WRI President Andrew Steer by WRI's Big Ideas Into Action podcast2016-01-1113 min
World Resources Institute Podcasts PlusWRI Podcast #1: Jamshyd Godrej - Building a Sustainable LegacyA conversation with interviewing industrialist and philanthropist Jamshyd Godrej, the chairman and leading benefactor of WRI India.2015-10-0614 min