World Resources Institute: An important tool in the rush to find climate solutions

What does the World Resources Institute do?

The world is dealing with a finite amount of resources. Even the more abundant ones like water are limited in availability. 

Some resources like different forms of metals are especially hard to get. And others like oil or petroleum have completely changed the lives of people all around the world over the past century. But with the growing global population and ever-increasing demand for resources comes certain challenges.

As we face these challenges, there are certain organisations that work towards solving them. One of the most prominent organisations that work towards solving environmental challenges is the World Resources Institute (WRI).

WRI works with businesses, governments, and leaders in various fields to research, design and executes solutions that ensure environmental sustainability is achieved. WRI focuses on 7 challenges it deems to be urgent:

• Food
• Forests
• Water
• Ocean
• Cities
• Energy
• Climate

These are the primary areas of focus for WRI. And as you can see, there is a focus on the environment. With 12 international offices located in different parts of the world, they focus their efforts on finding solutions that help businesses and other organisations become0 environmentally sustainable.

Who benefits from the work of the WRI?

WRI focuses on solutions that keep in mind the environment and environmental issues.

These solutions may be business-focused or otherwise. They develop these solutions with a data-focused approach, with over 1200 people working worldwide with expertise in policy, research, data analysis, economics and more.

With their seven programs (on the areas of focus), they use this expertise to work with governments, NGOs and businesses to help them implement sustainable action. 

Their expertise is availed by these parties to become environmentally sustainable in their activities. The WRI also works with some of these NGOs in the development of the solutions they present.

The benefits of the WRI are not always readily apparent. Their work in the energy sector, for example, lies more with the large energy buyers and policymakers than the average consumer. As such, it is unlikely that most of us will directly see or work with the WRI.

However, the results of their work and expertise will surely be felt by us all.

Their work in convincing these large energy buyers to move towards renewable energy using their expertise will result in a significant reduction in global emissions. They collaborate with cities, companies in the energy sector, regulators who have the power to determine what practices are allowed in the energy sector and other institutions to bring about a transformation towards renewable energy.

This will benefit these energy buyers by giving them reduced costs that come with cheaper sources of power such as solar. This will also benefit businesses in the energy sector that work with renewable sources of energy. The WRI can even help businesses that do not have any renewable energy products in their portfolio to bring about the changes they need to make them fit for a more sustainable world.

Likewise, the Climate Program of WRI works with all of these parties to accelerate the transition towards a zero-carbon future.

WRI works with the recognition that for humanity to continue to prosper, we need to take immediate action. Actions that bring us closer towards environmental sustainability.

How can your business benefit from the WRI?

If you are in the energy sector, you may benefit from implementing renewable energy solutions that you can work with the WRI on. If you are a startup that has a more sustainable solution to any existing problem, you may benefit from their expertise.

The WRI works not to serve the interests of businesses. Rather, it works with the prosperity of humanity as a whole being the focus. And it aims to achieve that by helping in achieving environmental sustainability in business and governance.

But the most important benefit your business can gain from the activities of the WRI is intelligence.  

The WRI considers high-quality research to be the foundation of its work. The institute conducts studies that look into these environmental issues and presents the findings as reports. Your business can look into these reports, and find valuable insights that can bring you closer to achieving environmental sustainability.

Not only that, but you may also find potential opportunities for your business to tackle in the findings of these studies.

Being an influential globally recognised non-profit, the recommendations from its research could be what is followed by the governments in your country. And as such, understanding these research studies and their findings can be a source of competitive advantage. You can pull ahead of your competitors by making changes now, as opposed to being forced to make them, often in very little time, after regulations have been drawn up.