Webinars And Videos

Hermantown is a small, resource-constrained city on the outskirts of Duluth. Google is one of the wealthiest corporations in the world. This data center is just one of many Google is pursuing across North America. For Hermantown, this would be, by far, the largest development in its history.

A street can look complete on paper and still fail people in real life. That’s why walking audits matter. You can’t understand how a place works until you experience it on foot.

School is out (or almost out in some places)- have you noticed whether kids do or don’t play outside in your neighborhood?

Sometimes the biggest improvements start with rethinking the space we already have.

Most saw an abandoned railroad bridge. One local saw a place people would actually want to be.

When homes become investment vehicles instead of places to live, the ladder breaks.

IEA Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol joins the WRI Polsky Energy Summit to discuss global energy security, surging electricity demand, AI, air conditioning, EVs, renewables, nuclear power and the future of clean power. The session also features a keynote from Chris Stark CBE, Head of the UK’s Mission for Clean Power, on the UK’s push to deliver clean power by 2030, reduce exposure to fossil fuel price shocks, expand electrification and make clean energy valuable for consumers. === Global electricity demand is rising fast, driven by AI data centers, rapid electrification, cooling demand, electric vehicles and industrial transformation. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and fossil fuel supply risks are putting energy security back at the center of economic and political decision-making. In this WRI Polsky Energy Summit session, Dr. Fatih Birol explains why the world is entering “the age of electricity,” why clean energy is now central to energy security, and how governments can respond to crisis with smarter long-term energy strategies. Chris Stark outlines the UK’s clean power mission and the practical barriers governments face in scaling renewables, storage, grids, electrification and consumer adoption. Topics covered include: energy security, electricity demand, AI and data centers, air conditioning and cooling demand, electric vehicles, renewables, solar power, batteries, nuclear power, natural gas, grids, clean cooking, Africa energy access, UK clean power 2030, fossil fuel price shocks, electrification and clean energy policy. 00:00 Opening: Global energy demand, security and clean power 02:20 Welcome and introduction – Dr. Fatih Birol 03:31 Fatih Birol on the global energy supply disruption 11:12 Electricity demand, AI, EVs and air conditioning 17:24 Renewables, solar, batteries, nuclear and natural gas 20:00 Electrification, transport, heat pumps and grids 21:17 Nuclear power, Europe and small modular reactors 25:28 Energy access, clean cooking and Africa 28:46 Lessons from past energy crises 32:39 Introduction – Chris Stark CBE 33:55 Chris Stark on UK clean power and energy security 35:43 Why the UK is exposed to fossil fuel markets 37:49 The UK clean power mission 39:29 Phase two: making clean power work for people 40:40 Breaking the link between gas and electricity prices 42:04 Electrification, EVs, batteries, solar and heat pumps 46:22 Clean power as a response to energy crisis 47:05 Lessons from delivering clean power by 2030 49:31 Consumer acceptance and electricity prices 51:37 Closing remarks #EnergySecurity #CleanEnergy #ElectricityDemand #IEA #WRI

Not every city problem has a clean, perfect solution. But small, imperfect ideas can still make life better, right away, for a lot of people right now. And we can always build off those ideas and make them better and better.

Consider the stats🔽 ➡️Nearly 3 billion people lack access to housing that is both safe and connected to basic services like energy, water and sanitation ➡️Around 40% of the world’s population lives in houses located far away from jobs and opportunities ➡️300 million people are currently experiencing homelessness. This translates into a need to build 96,000 affordable homes worldwide every day from now until 2030. #WRIExplains the growing housing crisis in more detail➡️ https://go.wri.org/world-housing-crisis #housingcrisis #housing #climateresilience

Across the Global South, rapidly growing cities are facing rising heat, flooding, and water stress. But nature-based solutions offer a different path forward. Find out more: https://africa.wri.org/insights/african-cities-use-nature-fight-floods-and-climate-change #NatureBasedSolutions #GreenInfrastructure #UrbanForest #Africa #Asia #Americas #Climate

We don’t want to eliminate cars, but rather end the “Suburban Experiment” where driving is the only viable option for daily life. We want to see places built where people have choices- such as walking, biking, or taking transit- this makes communities more financially resilient, safe, and accessible for everyone in any circumstance.

The daily trip to school can be more than traffic and drop-off lines- we just have to be intentional about starting change.

Portland’s street maintenance problem isn’t unique. Cities everywhere are struggling to pay for roads they can’t afford to maintain.

Join Chuck and State Representative Jake Auchincloss on the Strong Towns Podcast to hear more of their conversation! (Available on any podcast streaming service)

Most traffic engineering assumes people need more control, more signals, more instructions. But places like Poynton show the opposite can happen: when drivers feel uncertainty, they slow down, make eye contact, and behave more cooperatively. Design changes behavior.

Big solutions get the spotlight—but small, steady change is what actually adds up.

We’re still celebrating this big win Bloomington, IL saw late last year! Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are one of the simplest ways to add more housing—but in many places, outdated rules make them difficult or impossible to build. Kudos to Bloomington for loosening regulations and opening the door to homes like this one.

Highways made certain patterns of development easier, while making others harder. It connected places at a regional scale, while reshaping neighborhoods at the local level.

Wildfires in Utah threaten drinking water, communities, and ecosystems. Here’s how the Utah Resilience Fund is helping protect the Weber Watershed and the Great Salt Lake through proactive forest restoration. Across northern Utah, communities at high risk of wildfire are reshaping the landscape through coordinated restoration projects. The Utah Resilience Fund brings together public, private, and philanthropic partners to reduce wildfire risk before disaster strikes. By pooling funding and aligning work across public and private lands, this model is accelerating forest restoration to protect lives, homes, jobs, drinking water, and ecosystems. 👉🔗Learn more about Utah wildfire risk reduction https://www.wri.org/insights/utah-pioneers-new-model-wildfire-resilience 👉🔗Learn more about the Utah Resilience Fund financing model that invests in forest restoration to reduce wildfire risk and protect water supplies https://cities4forests.com/project/the-utah-resilience-fund/. Footage by Natasha Collins, James Anderson, and Summit County. Production and editing by Courtney Blackmer-Raynolds and Natasha Collins. #Wildfires #Utah #ForestRestoration #WaterSecurity #ClimateResilience — This WRI Cities4Forests work delivers lasting outcomes for both people and nature with support from our partners, including Summit County, the U.S. Forest Service, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, Mountain Regional Water District, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, Utah’s Shared Stewardship, Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative, Representative Black Moore, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, Trout Unlimited, and the Caterpillar Foundation. WRI’s Cities4Forests initiative helps cities and communities around the world use nature to solve problems. For more information, visit https://cities4forests.com/. — 🌍 Official website: https://www.wri.org/ 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-resources-institute 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldresources/ 🙏🏼 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldresources/ 🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/worldresources.bsky.social 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/WorldResources 🌎 Sign up for the WRI Digest: https://go.wri.org/4hwQ0Kp

Understand the concept of the Loretto and its roll in Federal Takings Law with Planetizen Courses https://courses.planetizen.com/course/federal-takings-law

What does a decade of change look like? For us, it’s how we’ve grown, what we’ve learned, and how we’ve stood together through every moment, all driven by the strong belief that a better world – respecting communities and planetary boundaries – is within reach. World Resources Institute Europe is celebrating its 10th anniversary. This is more than a milestone; it’s a promise for the next decade. In this anniversary year, we’re bringing you behind the scenes of our mission for people, nature, and climate. Introducing “10 Years, 10 Voices” a new series featuring the people behind Europe’s next decade of action. From climate resilience to nature restoration, this is our story, told by those who live it every day. 🌍 Official website: https://www.wri.org/wri-europe 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wri-europe/ 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrieurope/

This course examines the ethical and equity implications of integrating generative AI into urban planning workflows. Topics include bias in training data, the importance of transparency and accountability, and strategies for building public trust in AI-assisted processes. It also looks ahead to emerging technologies such as digital twins and AI-powered dashboards, concluding the series with hands-on guidance for how planners can begin experimenting with generative AI responsibly in their own work. https://courses.planetizen.com/course/gen-ai-ethics-and-the-future?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=course-description Subscribe to Planetizen Courses’ channel and enable notifications to keep up with the latest urban planning videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/PlanetizenCourses?sub_confirmation=1 This video is an excerpt from Generative AI, Ethics, and the Future of Urban Planning. Watch the full course here: https://courses.planetizen.com/course/gen-ai-ethics-and-the-future?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=course-description Planetizen Courses offers hundreds of online urban planning video courses taught by trusted professional planners. Sign up for access to cutting edge urban planning and urban design video courses on computer, phone, or tablet: https://courses.planetizen.com/course/gen-ai-ethics-and-the-future?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=course-description Follow Planetizen Courses on X: https://x.com/plnzcourses Follow Planetizen Courses on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetizen-courses

🌳At a time when forests are increasingly under threat, it’s urgent to understand the regulation and ensure its full implementation. #WRIExplains what the EU Deforestation Regulation is and answers 8 key questions👉 https://go.wri.org/eudr

AI tools like ChatGPT, navigation apps and streaming platforms feel effortless, drawing information seemingly from thin air. Yet the infrastructure behind them is anything but invisible. #WRIExplains Data centers👉 https://go.wri.org/data-centers About WRI: WRI is a global research organization working to improve people’s lives, protect nature and halt climate change. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations. 🌍 Official website: https://www.wri.org 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-resources-institute 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldresources/ 🙏🏼 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldresources/ 🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/worldresources.bsky.social 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/WorldResources 🌎 Sign up for the WRI Digest: https://go.wri.org/4hwQ0Kp

🌊#WRIExplains: Deep-Sea Mining https://go.wri.org/deep-sea-mining Deep sea mining, an activity involving the collection of minerals from the ocean floor, is gaining attention as experts estimate vast undiscovered resources. While companies currently harvest minerals on land, concerns are growing about the potential environmental impact of deep sea mining, which is not yet well-understood. The International Seabed Authority is working to establish regulations for this activity, with many warning of harm to marine life and coastal communities. Minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements are essential ingredients in everything from wind turbines and electric vehicles to cell phones, medical technologies and military infrastructure. Mining for these materials on land is already well established, but with demand surging, some are now looking to tap the seafloor for its millions of square kilometers of metal ores. Some countries and companies have already begun exploring underwater mineral deposits and mining techniques — but the prospect of deep-sea mining remains controversial. Despite years of research, little is known about the deep ocean. Many fear that extracting minerals from it could pose grave consequences for both marine life and planetary health. While nations can currently pursue deep-sea mining in their own domestic waters, the world is still awaiting exploitation regulations from the UN’s International Seabed Authority (ISA) that will dictate whether and how it could proceed in international waters, where the bulk of the ocean’s critical minerals are found. With the future of deep-sea mining still under debate, here’s what we know so far about the proposed practice and its impacts — and what we don’t. Learn more: https://go.wri.org/deep-sea-mining

This course explains the foundational technologies behind generative AI, including GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks), VAEs (Variational Autoencoders), and LLMs (Large Language Models). The tutorial goes beyond the theoretical by applying each model to realistic urban planning tasks — such as redesigning streetscapes, summarizing public comments, and generating development scenarios. Through live demos using free or commonly available AI tools, planners will learn the mechanics behind GenAI and build the confidence to explore these tools in their own work. Subscribe to Planetizen Courses’ channel and enable notifications to keep up with the latest urban planning videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/PlanetizenCourses?sub_confirmation=1 This video is an excerpt from Generative AI Tools and Workflows for Urban Planning. Watch the full course here: https://courses.planetizen.com/course/generative-ai-tools-and-workflows?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=description&utm_content=generativeai-2&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video-description Planetizen Courses offers hundreds of online urban planning video courses taught by trusted professional planners. Sign up for access to cutting edge urban planning and urban design video courses on computer, phone, or tablet: https://courses.planetizen.com/courses?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=plnzc-cta-description&utm_content=generativeai-2 Follow Planetizen Courses on X: https://x.com/plnzcourses Follow Planetizen Courses on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetizen-courses

Carbon removal could help prevent the worst impacts of climate change. #WRIExplains further: https://go.wri.org/carbon-removal About WRI: WRI is a global research organization working to improve people’s lives, protect nature and halt climate change. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations. 🌍 Official website: https://www.wri.org 🔗LinkedIn: / world-resources-institute 📱 Instagram: / worldresources 🙏🏼 Facebook: / worldresources 🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/worldresourc… 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/WorldResources 🌎 Sign up for the WRI Digest: https://go.wri.org/4hwQ0Kp

Watch the updated version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVCOnu1XcoY Wildfires in Utah threaten drinking water, communities, and ecosystems. Here’s how the Utah Resilience Fund is helping protect the Weber Watershed and the Great Salt Lake through proactive forest restoration. Across northern Utah, communities at high risk of wildfire are reshaping the landscape through coordinated restoration projects. The Utah Resilience Fund brings together public, private, and philanthropic partners to reduce wildfire risk before disaster strikes. By pooling funding and aligning work across public and private lands, this model is accelerating forest restoration to protect lives, homes, jobs, drinking water, and ecosystems. 👉🔗Learn more about Utah wildfire risk reduction https://www.wri.org/insights/utah-pioneers-new-model-wildfire-resilience 👉🔗Learn more about the Utah Resilience Fund financing model that invests in forest restoration to reduce wildfire risk and protect water supplies https://cities4forests.com/project/the-utah-resilience-fund/. Footage by Natasha Collins, James Anderson, and Summit County. Production and editing by Courtney Blackmer-Raynolds and Natasha Collins. #Wildfires #Utah #ForestRestoration #WaterSecurity #ClimateResilience — This WRI Cities4Forests work delivers lasting outcomes for both people and nature with support from our partners, including Summit County, the U.S. Forest Service, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, Mountain Regional Water District, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, Utah’s Shared Stewardship, Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative, Representative Black Moore, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, Trout Unlimited, and the Caterpillar Foundation.   WRI’s Cities4Forests initiative helps cities and communities around the world use nature to solve problems. For more information, visit https://cities4forests.com/. — 🌍 Official website: https://www.wri.org/ 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-resources-institute 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldresources/ 🙏🏼 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldresources/ 🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/worldresources.bsky.social 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/WorldResources 🌎 Sign up for the WRI Digest: https://go.wri.org/4hwQ0Kp

What happens when solar power meets farming? For years, farmers in Berbere Woreda in southeastern Ethiopia lived hand to mouth — not because water was scarce, but because they didn’t have access to a reliable, affordable energy source. Although nearby rivers flowed year-round, the lack of power meant they couldn’t pump water to their fields. As a result, most families harvested only once a year, producing barely enough to feed themselves. Today, that story is changing. With technical support from WRI and DanChurchAid, and funding from the IKEA Foundation, farmers now have access to solar-powered irrigation. This clean, reliable energy is enabling them to grow crops three to four times a year — transforming agriculture from a struggle for survival into a pathway to prosperity. For the first time, farmers are earning income, planning for the future, and building resilience for their families and communities. This is their story. 👉🔗Learn more about how this simple but powerful solution is transforming agriculture and why it could reshape food systems across Africa and beyond https://www.wri.org/insights/solar-transforms-farming-berbere-ethiopia #renewableenergy #agriculturefarming #communitydevelopment — 🌍 Official website: https://www.wri.org/ 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-resources-institute 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldresources/ 🙏🏼 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldresources/ 🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/worldresources.bsky.social 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/WorldResources 🌎 Sign up for the WRI Digest: https://go.wri.org/4hwQ0Kp

For more than 20 years, WRI has identified annual “Stories to Watch.” These are the year’s moments, issues and decisions that we believe will shape the future trajectory of the world. Stories to Watch 2026 explores how the choices we make can deliver real benefits for people—not just decades from now, but today. Will the energy transition stall economic progress or ignite a new era of inclusive prosperity? Will climate action deepen today’s cost-of-living and housing crises—or become a pathway to affordability? Will jobs in the new economy open doors to a brighter future for families everywhere—or leave too many behind? Don’t miss the live panel discussion at the end. In this interactive conversation, WRI experts and global leaders unpack the trends, risks, and opportunities that will define the year ahead, offering insights you won’t find in the headlines alone. Together, they examine what’s at stake, what’s changing, and where bold action can make the biggest difference. A correction: When we mention the death toll in Jamaica as a result of Hurricane Melissa, the correct number should be 45. About WRI: WRI is a global research organization working to improve people’s lives, protect nature and halt climate change. WRI works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations. 🌍 Official website: https://www.wri.org 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-resources-institute 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldresources/ 🙏🏼 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldresources/ 🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/worldresources.bsky.social 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/WorldResources 🌎 Sign up for the WRI Digest: https://go.wri.org/4hwQ0Kp