Governance

Fair and effective governance is critical to ensuring that development projects benefit people and the planet. Yet in many regions around the world, communities are regularly subjected to environmental and social injustices.
Inadequate or non-existent Freedom of Information laws leave communities without a say in the development decisions that directly impact them—such as approval of dams, highways, and oil and gas exploration. Weak property rights can result in impoverished people losing access to the land and natural resources they rely on for their livelihoods. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change disproportionately affect the world’s impoverished communities.
WRI works to move governments, businesses, and institutions toward democratic principles in order to safeguard human rights. We aim to foster governance decisions that sustain natural resources, alleviate poverty, and improve quality-of-life.
WRI’s Access Initiative works to help citizens and NGOs acquire the information they need to hold governments accountable for their decisions. We develop analyses, strategies, and partnerships so that developing nations can become more resilient to climate change. And we produce rigorous research and innovative solutions to strengthen communities’ rights to land and natural resources.
Governance Projects
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Global Forest Watch
A dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better manage forests. -
The Access Initiative (TAI)
The Access Initiative is the largest network in the world dedicated to ensuring that citizens have the right and ability to influence decisions about the natural resources that sustain their communities. -
Partnership to Strengthen Transparency for Co-Innovation (PaSTI)
PaSTI in Indonesia aims to enhance co-innovation between stakeholders to strengthen transparency of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction and to increase climate actions ambition. -
Integrating Development Planning, Financing, and Licensing for Sustainability/ Mengintegrasikan Perencanaan Pembangunan, Pembiayaan dan Perizinan untuk Keberlanjutan
This program is supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and implemented in the context of harmonizing development planning, financing and licensing in the land-based sector