Securing a sustainable, climate-resilient future will require
significant investment. For example, research shows that by 2020, the
world will need to invest $5.7 trillion annually in green
infrastructure like clean water, sustainable transport, and renewable
energy in order to prevent climate change’s worst effects. At the
same time, many of the world’s current investments support
environmentally and socially degrading projects. Ensuring human
well-being will require investing in initiatives that provide social,
environmental, and economic benefits. WRI works to shift the world’s
financial flows to support sustainable development. We engage the
public and private sectors to scale up investments in low-carbon,
socially beneficial projects—particularly in the developing world.
WRI’s research identifies ways to mobilize private and public
finance for projects such as clean energy development and climate
adaptation initiatives. We provide policy recommendations for national
and local governments to attract these investments. Our guidance helps
institutions incorporate environmental and social protections into
their investment policies. We track and evaluate the impact of climate
finance and sustainable development investments. And we bring together
stakeholders from finance ministries, green finance groups, civil
society, and the private sector to share knowledge and best practices.
