WRI Digest: State of the Union, Davos, and more

STATEMENT: WRI Response to the 2014 State of the Union Address.In his State of the Union address, President Obama asserted, “The debate is settled. Climate change is a fact,” and called for greater urgency to tackle climate change. WRI’s President Dr. Andrew Steer explains, “2014 is a pivotal year when it comes to climate action. In his annual address, President Obama made it clear that his administration is ready to get down to business on climate change.”
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• After State of the Union Address, U.S. Should Pursue Ambitious Power Plant Emissions Standards
• Watching for Signs of Climate Action in the State of the Union Address

Top 5 Climate and Energy Stories for 2014. wri Executive Vice President and Managing Director Manish Bapna outlines how the policy decisions that the U.S. administration makes now will resonate for years to come. Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally published at Forbes.
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Timeline of 2013: A Year of Extreme Weather Events. Our extreme weather timeline recaps a range of catastrophic events that occurred last year – from Typhoon Haiyan causing more than 6,000 deaths in the Philippines, to severe drought in California, to raging wildfires in Prescott, Arizona.
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Stories to Watch in 2014. Earlier this month, wri launched its Stories to Watch in 2014. “All years are important,” explains WRI President and CEO Andrew Steer, “but decisions made in 2014 will have a striking impact for decades to come. Here are seven potential game-changers.”
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Signs of Progress at World Economic Forum’s Climate Day. “As I leave the World Economic Forum in Davos, I am filled with more hope than I have had for some time,” explains Jennifer Morgan, Director of WRI’s Climate and Energy Program. “For the first time, the meeting of many of the world’s pre-eminent political and business leaders held an official ‘Climate Day’ to discuss the challenges posed by a warmer world.”
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Looking Back on 15 Years of Greenhouse Gas Accounting. The greenhouse gas (GHG) Protocol celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Stephen Russell reflects on the project’s history and impact, and discusses next steps in an evolving GHG accounting landscape.
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Cuba’s Jardines de la Reina Reef-A Beacon of Hope in the Caribbean. Roughly 75 percent of the Caribbean’s coral reefs are threatened – with more than 30 percent ranking in the “high” or “very high” threat category. But one reef system in Cuba, le Jardines de la Reina (the “Gardens of the Queen”), offers great lessons – and hope – in effective coral reef management.
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How Green Tariffs Can Benefit Utilities and Consumers. A new WRI working paper suggests that when designed effectively, utilities can use green tariffs to cost-effectively provide renewable energy-a benefit for both their customers and bottom lines.
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Emissions Trading in China: First Reports from the Field. Chinese emissions trading pilots emerge as environmental and climate issues reach the top of the Chinese agenda. Ranping Song and Hongpeng Lei look at emissions trading in china from the field.
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The Trillion Dollar Question: Where Does Transport Investment Come From? New analysis finds global transport investment is between US$1.4 and US$2.1 trillion each year, enough to fund the capital budget of New York’s subway 88 times.
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A Shared Vision for Thailand’s Solar Energy Development. Leveraging a new framework, Thailand’s experience illustrates how renewable power development policy processes can be robust and benefit all energy stakeholders.
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