World Resources Institute

An international environmental and resource management policy center, the World Resources Institute researches ways to meet human needs and foster economic growth while conserving natural resources and protecting the environment . WRI's primary areas of concern are the economic effects of environmental deterioration and the demands on energy and the environment posed by both industrial and developing nations. Since its inception in 1982, WRI has provided governments, organizations, and individuals with information, analysis, technical support, and policy analysis on the interrelated areas of environment, development, and resource management.

WRI conducts various policy research programs and operates the Center for International Development and Environment, formerly the North American arm of the International Institute for Environment and Development. The institute aids governments and nonfederal organizations in developing countries, providing technical assistance and policy recommendations, among other services. To promote public education of the issues with which it is involved, WRI also publishes books, reports, and papers; holds briefings, seminars, and conferences; and keeps the media abreast of developments in these areas.

WRI's research projects include programs in biological resources and institutions; economies and population; climate , energy, and pollution ; technology and the environment; and resource and environmental information. In collaboration with the Brookings Institution and the Santa Fe Institute, WRI is also involved in a program called the 2050 Project, which seeks to provide a sustainable future for coming generations. As part of the program, studies will be conducted on such topics as food, energy, biodiversity , and the elimination of poverty.

The Center for International Development and Environment assists developing countries assess and manage their natural resources. The center's four main programs are: natural resources management strategies and assessments; natural resource information management; community planning and nongovernmental organization support; and sectoral resource policy and planning.

WRI's other programs are equally innovative. As part of the Biological Resources and Institutions project, WRI has developed a Global Biodiversity Strategy in collaboration with the World Conservation Union and the United Nations Environment Programme . The strategy, developed in 1992, outlines 85 specific actions required in the following decade to slow the decline in biodiversity worldwide. The program has also researched ways to reform forest policy in an attempt to halt deforestation .

The program on climate, energy, and pollution strives to develop new and different transportation strategies. In so doing, WRI staff have explored the use of hydrogen- and electric-powered vehicles and proposed policies that would facilitate their use in modern society. The program also researches renewable alternative energy sources , including solar, wind, and biomass power.

WRI is funded privately, by the United Nations, and by national governments. It is run by a 40-member international Board of Directors.

[Kristin Palm ]

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ORGANIZATIONS

World Resources Institute, 10 G Street, NE, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. USA 20002 (202) 729-7600, Fax: (202) 729-7610, Email: front@wri.org, <http://www.wri.org>