WRI’s President and CEO Ani Dasgupta will share insights into the big stories in 2023, including what actions governments, businesses and people must take to get the world on the right path.

2. 3+ Years of Pandemic
Photo: REUTERS/Alamy Stock Photo
• 650+ million confirmed cases
• 13 billion vaccine doses administered

3. Runaway Inflation
Photo: Anna Kaminova/Unsplash
9% global inflation in 2022

4. Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Shocked the World
Photo: Ukrinform/Alamy Stock Photo
• 17,000+ civilian casualties
• 12+ million displaced

5. Triggered a Global Energy Crisis
Photo: frans lemmens/Alamy Stock Photo
70 million people globally
at risk of losing electricity

6. And Accelerated a Food Crisis
Photo: Larina Elena/Alamy Stock Photo
Global food prices surged
14.3% in 2022
22 million people at risk of
starvation in the Horn of
Africa

7. Climate Change Was a Threat Multiplier
Photo: Muhammed Furqan/Alamy Stock Photo
Floods decreased Pakistan’s projected
GDP growth from 5% to 2%

8. Setback for Poverty Reduction
Photo: matthieu cattin/Alamy Stock Photo
Up to 95 million people pushed
into poverty in 2022

9. 2022 was a difficult year,
but it wasn’t all bad

10. Record-breaking investment in renewable energy
8% increase in global renewable energy
capacity in 2022
Photo: Shutterstock

11. Increasing Recognition of the Value of Nature
Photo: Xinhua/Alamy Stock Photo
Countries committed to conserve
30% of the world’s land, water
and ocean by 2030.

12. Breakthrough in Solidarity among Countries
Photo: UNFCCC

13. Momentum for Just Transition
Photo: Andia/Alamy Stock Photo
$20 billion package for
just energy transition in
Indonesia
The U.S. passed 3 major laws
to green its economy with equity
at the center

14. Will these breakthroughs lead to the
systemic shifts the world needs?

17. Russia Invades Ukraine: Energy Weaponized
Source: Eurostat
~40% of Europe’s
natural gas supply
was from Russia

18. Energy Crisis Impacts on
People and Industry
• Annual energy prices in Europe
spiked to 41.5% in October 2022
• Energy prices raised cost of living by
7% in 2022 compared to 2021
Photo: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy Stock Photo

19. Photo: dpa picture alliance/Alamy Stock Photo.
• EU Council agrees to reduce natural gas demand
• Europe secures more LNG
• Some countries expand coal and nuclear energy production
Short-term Response: Keeping the Lights On

20. Russian Pipeline Gas Replaced by Liquified Natural
Gas (LNG) Imports
Source: Refinitiv
•

21. The Danger of a Natural Gas Trap
Photo: ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo
Risks:
• Future overcapacity
• Stranded infrastructure
• Fossil fuel path dependency

22. Risk of Missing 1.5° Warming Goal
Source: Climate Action Tracker

23. Energy at a Crossroads
“Government responses
around the world promise to
make this a historic and
definitive turning point
towards a cleaner, more
affordable and more secure
energy system.”
- Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive
Director of the IEA
Photo: Franz Perc/Alamy Stock Photo

24. The Question:
Will the crisis in Europe spur
a global shift to a low-carbon
energy future?

25. Solidarity in Europe?
“The best response and
support we as the
European Union can give
is European solidarity and
European unity.”
- Roberta Metsola,
President of the European Parliament

26. Will Europe meet its energy transition targets?
Source: European Commission

27. Will consumers
continue to change
behavior?
Heat pumps could
reduce global CO2
emissions by at least
500M tonnes in 2030
Photo: dpa picture alliance/Alamy Stock Photo

28. Will European voters
prioritize clean energy?
83% of people in the EU
think that Russia’s
invasion makes it more
urgent to invest in
renewable energy
Photo: Xinhua/Alamy Stock Photo

29. How will Europe’s energy choices impact the world?
Photo: REUTERS/Alamy Stock Photo.
• China
• India
• Africa

32. Return of President Lula Sparks Hope
Photo: dpa picture alliance/Alamy Stock Photo

33. High Expectations for Brazil’s Forests
Source: Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. Note: 2022 data is through 11/30/22.

34. Lula Takes Action
on Day 1
• Appointed Marina Silva
& Sônia Guajajara as
ministers
• Reinstated an array of
anti-deforestation policies.
• Reopened the Amazon Fund.
• Revoked permission for
mining in protected areas.
• Revitalized civil society
participation.
Photo: Foto Arena LTDA/Alamy Stock Photo

35. Beyond Brazil
• Amazon Basin is
6.8 million km2 ≈
the size of continental US
• Includes 9 countries
Source: GFW

36. Beyond the Amazon: Big 3 Remaining Tropical Forests

37. Beyond the Amazon: Big 3 Remaining Tropical Forests
Source: GFW
Tropical tree cover lost in 2021
= 11 million hectares

38. Amazon Is Critical for
People, Nature and
Climate
Photo: Patricio Gaibor
• 47 million people
• 10% of biodiversity
• Up to 140 billion
metric tons of carbon
stored

39. … and the Economy
“Let’s prove once again that
it is possible to generate wealth
without provoking climate change.”
- President Lula
Photo: REUTERS/Alamy Stock Photo

40. The Question
Will Lula’s return lead to a transformation in
managing and protecting tropical forests?

41. Will Lula succeed in
advancing a
pro-forest agenda?
3 keys to success:
• Overcome political opposition
• Enforcement of existing laws
• Return of Amazon Fund
Photo: UN Climate Change

42. Will global markets
incentivize stopping
deforestation?
• Regulation
• Private sector
• Carbon markets
• International finance
Photo: BrazilPhotos/Alamy Stock Photo

43. Will global action
on tropical forests
take hold?
• New global pact
• Indonesia
• Democratic Republic
of the Congo
• Summit in Gabon
Photo: David Clode/Unsplash

46. No Finance, No Transition
Source: State of Climate Action

47. Developing Regions Have the Greatest Need
Source: IPCC

48. Developing Regions Have the Greatest Need
Source: IPCC

49. Sources of Finance to Fund the Transition
• Domestic public
• Domestic private
• International public
• International private
Photo: REUTERS/Alamy Stock Photo

50. Debt Constrains Public Investment
Source: IMF LIC DSA database

51. Concessional Finance Is Hard to Find
Source: UN, World Bank, International Debt Statistics

52. Private Finance Is Unevenly Distributed
Source: CPI

53. Borrowing Costs Are
Higher in Developing
Countries
Economy-wide cost of
capital for debt in 2020:
• US: 2%
• Nigeria: 14%
• Pakistan: 15%
Photo: Geoff Marshall/Alamy Stock Photo

54. 2022: A Rallying Cry Emerges
“We must act now. We
cannot be good at rescuing
banks but bad at saving
people.”
- Bridgetown Initiative, spearheaded by
Barbados PM Mia Mottley
Photo: TIME Magazine

55. The Question
Will financial reforms take hold and
spur investment to support developing
country transitions?

56. Will development banks adopt transformative reforms?
Photo: Xinhua/Alamy Stock Photo
April 2023:
World Bank/IMF
Spring Meetings

57. Will the Climate
Mitigation Trust get
off the ground?
June 2023:
Summit co-hosted by
PM Mottley & President
Macron
Photo: Erik Pendzich/Alamy Stock Photo

58. G7:
May: Hosted by Japan
G20:
July: Finance Ministerial
October: Heads of State
summit, hosted by India
Photo: G20.org
Will major emitters
back reforms?

59. Will more private
capital flow for
energy transitions?
June 2023:
Indonesia JET-P Investment and
Policy Plan
December 2023:
Vietnam JET-P Resource
Mobilization Plan
Photo: Yermia Riezky Santiago/Alamy Stock Photo

60. Will COP28 move the
needle on key finance
issues?
COP28, December, in Dubai:
• $100 billion and progress
on a new goal
• Loss & Damage Fund
• MDB reform
• De-risk private finance
Photo: Nick Fewings

63. 2022: A Trio of New Climate Laws
Biggest climate investment
in US history
Photo: White House Photo/Alamy Stock Photo

64. 2022: A Trio of New Climate Laws
Source: RMI

65. 2022: A Trio of New Climate Laws
Source: RMI

66. 2022: A Trio of New Climate Laws
Source: RMI

67. A Boost, but More to Go
Source: Princeton REPEAT

68. A Major Job Creation Opportunity
IRA and BIL can create 900,000
to 3.1 million potential
additional net jobs by 2035
Source: Andia/Alamy Stock Photo

69. A Strong Focus on Justice
Photo: NurPhoto SRL/Alamy Stock Photo
40% of climate investment
benefits to historically
underserved communities

70. The Question
Will the US jumpstart a just transition to meet
its climate goals and bring economic benefits
to all people?

71. Will the US government
accelerate renewable energy
deployment?
Photo: Andy Feliciotti/Unsplash
• Permitting reform in
Congress
• Regulatory
changes at US
agencies

72. Will key states drive
progress?
• California
• Georgia
• Michigan
Photo: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook

73. Will businesses and
consumers take
advantage of clean
energy incentives?
Consumer tax credits for:
EVs, heat pumps,
solar panels, energy
efficiency
Business incentives:
Zero-emissions power,
hydrogen, carbon removal
Photo: Wirestock

74. Will government agencies
follow through on equity
commitments?
Photo: iStock
• Justice40 Scorecard
• EPA Clean School Bus
Program

75. Will more states develop
just transition programs to
support workers?
Colorado's Just
Transition Action Plan
Photo: Shutterstock

76. Will the US and its allies
overcome trade tensions?
• Buy America Rule
• International
frustration over
"protectionist" shift
• Europe’s Carbon
Border Adjustment
Mechanism (CBAM)