World Resources Institute selects the top stories that will shape our world in 2022. This presentation is part of our flagship event, Stories to Watch, now in its 19th year, that dives into the big ideas, data and trends in the sustainability, economics and the environment.

3. Image: Myriam Borzee/iStock
COVID Disrupts Lives and Economy

4. 2021: Political Divisions
Image: Brett Davis/Flickr

5. Supplies Chains Disrupted…
Image: Xinhua/Alamy

6. …and Energy too
Image: Framarzo/Alamy

7. Climate Impacts Are Here
Image: iStock
Colorado, US

8. Image: Associated Press
Putaendo, Chile

9. Bahia, Brazil
Image: Reuters/Alamy

10. Inequity on Display
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation as of January 2022

11. And Emissions on the Rise…
Source: IEA

12. But, Some Bright Spots
Source: ClimateWatch, C40, SBTi, Fast Company
155 countries
submit new NDCs
83 countries
announce net-zero
targets
G7 + China commit
to halt overseas
finance for coal
1,000+ cities
committed to
net zero
2,000+ companies
have set Science
Based Targets
Climate tech
investment reached
$43 billion

13. And Progress in Glasgow
Commitments:
• Deforestation
• Methane
• Overseas coal finance
Image: COP26/Flickr

14. Every Degree Matters
Sources: WRI, CAT, ClimateWatch, UNEP

16. Will It All Come Together?

18. Limiting warming
to 1.5° C…Net Zero
by midcentury
—IPCC SR1.5 2018​
Image: International Monetary Fund/Flickr

24. Net Zero

25. Momentum Is Growing in Countries…
Source: WRI

26. Momentum Is Growing in Countries…
Source: WRI

27. …and Cities and Companies
• 1,000+ cities pledge to reach
net-zero by 2050 or sooner
• 750+ companies committed to
Net Zero through SBTi​
Image: World Bank/Flickr

28. Skepticism Is Widespread
• 2050 far in the future
• Lack of accountability
• Shifting responsibility to others
Image: jeremy sutton-hibbert /Alamy

29. A Credible Commitment
• Near-term action
• Verifiable plan
• Transparent progress
Image: United Nations Photo

31. Will G20 Countries Raise Ambition?
Source: Climate Watch
WHAT TO WATCH

32. Will G20 Countries Raise Ambition?
Source: Climate Watch
WHAT TO WATCH

33. Will G20 Countries Raise Ambition?
Source: Climate Watch
WHAT TO WATCH

34. Will G20 Countries Raise Ambition?
Source: Climate Watch
WHAT TO WATCH

35. Will G20 Countries Raise Ambition?
Source: Climate Watch
WHAT TO WATCH

36. Will G20 Countries Raise Ambition?
Source: Climate Watch
WHAT TO WATCH
G20: October in Bali, Indonesia

37. Will the US Senate Deliver?
Image: The White House/Flickr
WHAT TO WATCH

38. Will More Companies Make Progress Against Their Goals?
2021: First net-zero standard released
750+ companies committed
2022: Will this number double?
Image: Sean Pollock/Unsplash
WHAT TO WATCH

39. Will Financial Institutions Wean Off Fossil Fuels?
2021: $130T in assets
committed to net zero
2022: Follow-through?
Image: FangXiaNuo/iStock
WHAT TO WATCH

42. Elections to Watch
French Presidential Election
April 10–April 24
Colombian Congressional and Presidential Elections
March 13, May 29 and June 19
Brazil General Election
October 2
India Federal, State and Local Elections
Ongoing
United States Midterm Elections
November 8

44. Coal: The Most Polluting Fuel
Source: Our World In Data
Responsible for
25% of global
energy…​

45. Coal: The Most Polluting Fuel
Source: Our World In Data
…and 40% of
CO2 emissions​

46. No Place for Coal in 1.5° C World
Net-zero scenarios do not
include unabated coal
Image: 350.org

47. Promising New Commitments
46 countries:
Phase out domestic coal​
34 countries:
End overseas fossil fuel finance​
Image: UN Climate Change/Flickr

48. The Economics Favor Renewables
Source: IRENA

49. Clean Electricity Has Overtaken Coal
Source: Our World in Data; State of Climate Action 2021​

50. But Change Isn’t Going Fast Enough
Source: Our World in Data; State of Climate Action 2021​

51. Barriers Remain
While cost is no longer an obstacle, there are
technical and political challenges
Image: Harald Groven/Flickr

52. Energy Demand Continues to Grow
Source: IEA

53. Energy Access Still a Challenge
760 million people do not
have access to electricity
Image: Africa Media Online/Alamy

55. Will the Coal Project Pipeline Continue to Fall?
Source: Global Energy Monitor
WHAT TO WATCH

56. Will Biggest Coal Users Commit to a Phase Out?​
Source: Our World in Data; UK COP26​
WHAT TO WATCH

57. Will Investment in Renewables Fill the Gap?​
• Will multilateral finance
be successful?
• Will China increase
renewable finance
overseas?
• Will countries have fiscal
resources post-pandemic?
Image: Erik Wilde/Creative Commons
WHAT TO WATCH
Annual renewable
construction needs to triple

58. Will the Grid Be Ready?
Grid needs 70% more investment
per year in the next decade
Image: Jennifer Boyer/Flickr
WHAT TO WATCH

59. Will Workers Be Supported?
• EU and 26 other countries mention just transition in NDCs
• How will South Africa's transition deal be implemented?
Image: International Labor Organization/Flickr
WHAT TO WATCH

62. Listening to Frontline Communities
“How can we have climate justice if
the people who are suffering the worst
impacts of the climate crisis are not
being listened to, not being
platformed, not being amplified and
are left out of the conversation? It’s
not possible.”
- Vanessa Nakate, Ugandan climate activist
Image: Paul Wamala Ssegujja/Wikimedia.

63. Among Countries: Who Is Responsible?
Source: Our World in Data; Global Carbon Project
Rich, developed countries: 12% of population, 50% of global CO2 emissions

64. Who Is Most Affected: Among Countries
Source: https://gain.nd.edu/our-work/country-index/rankings/
50 most vulnerable
countries are all low
and lower middle-income
countries

65. Who Is Most Affected: Within Countries
Communities that have been
economically and socially
marginalized, especially Black,
Indigenous and People of Color
Image: WRI

66. Climate Justice: Putting People First
Climate justice “insists on a shift from a
discourse on greenhouse gases and
melting ice caps into a civil rights
movement with the people and
communities most vulnerable to
climate impacts at its heart.”
- Mary Robinson, Human Rights Leader
Image: European Parliament/Flickr

67. Climate Justice Is Multidimensional
• Unequal impacts
• Unequal responsibility
• Unequal resources
• Unequal power
Image: UN Women/Flickr.

68. Locally Led Action Is Essential
Image: UNDP Climate/Flickr
• More equitable
• More effective
• Better benefits for
everyone

70. Will Support for Locally Led Adaptation Grow?
• 70 organizations and 6 countries committed to
Locally Led Adaptation Principles.
• Goal: 25% Climate Finance for Locally Led Adaptation
Image: UNDP Climate/Flickr
WHAT TO WATCH

71. Will We See Finance for Loss & Damage?
• Glasgow Dialogue on
Loss & Damage: June
• COP27: November
Image: Alamy.
WHAT TO WATCH

72. Will Support Grow for Locally Led Ecosystem Restoration?
• Mobilize $2 billion for restoration in Africa
through AFR100
• Ensure local communities can access funds
Image: Third Factor Productions/WRI
WHAT TO WATCH

73. Will Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Be Recognized?
$1.7 billion COP26 commitment
for Indigenous Peoples
Image: John Englart/Climate Action Network
WHAT TO WATCH

74. Will the US Justice 40 Initiative Drive Change?
Goal: 40% of climate
investment benefits reach
disadvantaged communities
Image: Joe Brusky/Flickr
WHAT TO WATCH

77. UNFCCC Middle East
and North Africa
Climate Week
Images: Khalid Belhaji (left) and Maciek Lulko (right)
New York, NY
September 20–26
Climate Week NYC
Dubai, UAE
February 28–March 3

78. Image: Wikimedia Commons/Sarbast.T.Hameed
COP27
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
November 7–18

80. COP26: Biggest Forest Commitments Ever
• 141 countries
• $19.2 billion
Image: COP26/Flickr

81. Tropical Forests Are Essential for Reaching 1.5˚ C
Source: WRI

82. The World’s Remaining Major Tropical Rainforests
Source: Global Forest Watch

83. Why Is Deforestation Still Happening?

84. Devastating Consequences
Images (left to right): Chico Ribeiro, Pulsar Imagens/Alamy, Johnny Chen/Unsplash, Lutfi Hanafi/iStock

85. Not the First Pledge on Forests
Image: ishak Mutiara/iStock
Primary forest loss up 41%
since NY Declaration on
Forests was signed in 2014

86. A Stubbornly Persistent Problem
Source: WRI/Global Forest Review

88. Will We See a Change in Mindset?
“The Earth is speaking. She tells us
that we have no more time. We need a
different path, with both local and global
changes. It’s not 2030 or 2050. It’s now.”
- Txai Surui, 24-year-old indigenous activist from the
Amazon, in a speech at COP26
Image: UNFCCC
WHAT TO WATCH

89. Will Consumer Countries Close Commodity Markets
Linked to Deforestation?
Image: Nature Picture Library/Alamy
WHAT TO WATCH
• Will the EU pass legislation to curb imports
linked to deforestation?
• Will China work with companies to ensure
deforestation-free imports?
• US-government led “Forest Investor Club”

90. Will Forest Countries Take Action?
Image: guenterguni/iStock
WHAT TO WATCH
• Prevent illegal clearing and
tackle corruption
• Make no-deforestation goals
in economic plans
• Secure land rights and create
opportunities for local
communities

91. Will Companies Use Tracking to Take Deforestation Out
of Supply Chains?
WHAT TO WATCH

92. Will Financial Support Spur a Real Transition?
• Will donors follow through on their $19 billion pledge?
• Will new funds reach the frontlines?
Image: Dave Hoefler/Unsplash
WHAT TO WATCH

93. Will Demand for High-Quality Forest Carbon Credits Grow?
• What’s next for the LEAF Coalition?
• Will countries follow through on Article 6?
Image: Yoly Gutierrez/CIFOR
WHAT TO WATCH

96. How Pandemics Start
Zoonotic spillover: The transmission of
a pathogen from an animal to a human
Image: Nills Bouillard/Unsplash
Leads to up to 75% of infectious diseases

97. Drivers of Spillover: Deforestation, Wildlife Trade,
Population Growth

98. Spillover Hotspots
Image: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-00923-8#Fig4, Creative Commons

99. Spillover Events: On the Rise
Source: A. Meadows, N. Stephenson, N. Madhav, B. Oppenheim, et al. "New evidence for the
increasing frequency and severity of zoonotic spillover events". Metabiota, working paper, 2022

100. The Human Cost: 5.4 Million People Dead From COVID-19
Image: Alberto Giuliani/Creative Commons
A healthy Earth = fewer pandemics

101. Current Global Pandemic Strategy: Reaction
Image: Photo Beto/iStock

102. We Know How to Prevent Pandemics
• Protect forests
• Regulate live wildlife trade
• Reduce human-wildlife contact
• Invest in public health in disease hotspots
Image: Neil Palmer/CIAT

103. Barriers to Pandemic Prevention
• Siloed prevention and response
strategies
• Inequitable healthcare access
• Political timelines
Image: Suprabhat Dutta/iStock

104. We Can Afford it
$22 - $31 billion per year to protect
forests and regulate animal trade
$100 billion spent on pet care in US in 2020
Image: Ramdan_Nain/iStock

106. Will a Global Pandemic Treaty Emerge?
Image: olrat/iStock
WHAT TO WATCH
World Health Assembly: March & August

107. Will Governments Adopt a Global Biodiversity Framework?
Image: Max Christian/Unsplash
WHAT TO WATCH
UN Biodiversity Conference: April – May

108. Will Vulnerable Communities Get the Healthcare They Need?
Image: James Anderson/WRI
WHAT TO WATCH
New research shows quality healthcare can
decrease deforestation

111. Image (left to right): Aftab Uzzaman/Flickr, edward Stojakovic/Flickr, Luca Sartoni/Flickr
UN Biodiversity
Conference
Kunming, China
April 25–May 8
Stockholm +50
Stockholm, Sweden
June 2–3
UN Ocean Summit
Lisbon, Portugal
June 27–July 1

113. The Case for Decarbonizing Transport
• Transport: 24% of energy-
related CO2 emissions
• To limit warming to 1.5˚ C, we need
a 90% cut in transport CO2 by 2050
Image: jonbgem/Flickr

114. A Bright Spot: Booming Electric Cars
Source: Bloomberg Zero Emission Vehicles Factbook, Nov 2021
Global Electric Vehicle Sales (In Millions)

115. New Models Hitting the Road
More than 500 EV Models
Sources: Bloomberg, NASDAQ
Ford F-150 Lightning Rivian R1T Sony Vision S02

116. Governments Getting on Board
Sources: IEA Global EV Outlook 2020, Bloomberg Zero-Emission Vehicles Factbook
2021, UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021

117. Going Beyond Electric Cars
Shenzhen, China: 100%
zero-emissions buses
Electric Heavy-Duty
Trucks
TransPower Electric semi
in California
Electric
Micromobility
Lime scooters in
Mexico City
Electric Buses
Images (left to right): Ted McGrath/Flickr, Wahsaw/Wikimedia, Dennis Schroeder/NREL

118. Beginning of the EV Revolution
% of EV in the global passenger fleet

119. Beginning of the EV Revolution
% of EV in the global passenger fleet

120. Beginning of the EV Revolution
% of EV in the global passenger fleet

121. Electrification Can Get Us Far, But Not All the Way
• Electrification only: 83% of
GHG reductions needed
• Electrification + modal shift:
surpass goal
Image: Andrew Nash/Flickr

123. Will Government Policies Speed Electrification?
• China: Will other countries catch up?
• Europe: How will the ICE phase out be implemented?
• US: Will we see more electric buses and school buses?
Image: Rivian
WHAT TO WATCH

124. Will We Get EV Infrastructure Right?
• Will public charging infrastructure take off? And for heavy trucks?
• Will the energy used for charging be clean?
Image: Dan-Manila/iStock
WHAT TO WATCH

125. Will Demand for EV Resources Lead to Conflict or
Human Rights Abuses?
• Demand of minerals and metals
• Water and energy consumption
Image: The International Institute for Environment and Development/Flickr
WHAT TO WATCH

126. Will People Shift from Cars to Public Transport?
To meet 2030 climate goals:
• Reduce private light-duty vehicle travel by 4-14%
• Shift trips in cities to walking or cycling by 50%
• Increase public transport capacity by 50%
Image: Guilherme Mendes Thomaz
WHAT TO WATCH

127. Will We Have More Compact Cities?
Copenhagen, Bogotá, Melbourne:
Will other cities follow?
Image: Ned Snowman/Shutterstock
WHAT TO WATCH