This document provides a summary of key sustainability issues and events to watch in 2014, covering topics like the growth of cities, forest landscape restoration opportunities, shifts toward sustainable palm oil, China's efforts to clear its air pollution, new power regulations in the US, the UN climate summit, and major elections that will involve over a billion voters worldwide. Graphics and brief updates are provided on each topic to outline both challenges and opportunities for advancing sustainability goals in the coming year.

1. 1
FEATURING
Andrew Steer
President and CEO, WRI
Image: Flickr/NA.dir

2. 345
consecutive months
hotter than the 20th
century average
Source: IMF, 2013
Image: Flickr/lapstrake; Source: NOAA, 2013

3. RECESSION OVER
7%
6%
5%
GDP GROWTH
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
-1%
-2%
-3%
-4%
2007
Source: IMF, 2013
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

4. EMERGING ECONOMIES SLOWING BUT ROBUST
16%
14%
GDP GROWTH
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
2007
-2%
Source: IMF, 2013
BRAZIL
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

5. GLOBAL GDP – GETTING BACK ON TRACK
Real GDP
(2005 dollars)
$100tr
2030
$50tr
$30tr
$15 trillion
1990
1970
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service
2010

6. EXPLOSION OF THE GLOBAL MIDDLE CLASS
5 Billion
2 Billion
1 Billion
1990
Source: Reuters, OECD 2010
2010
2030

7. PRESSURE ON PLANET GROWING
2.5 billion
Number of
Vehicles
1.5 billion
750 million
1990
Image: Wikipedia, Source: Sperling and Gordon 2009
2010
2030

8. THE BIG QUESTION
Can we have economic growth
and tackle sustainability at the
same time?

9. THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW
WILL THEY
GROW?
1 THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW WILL
THEY GROW?
Image: istockphoto

10. CITIES ARE BOOMING
274,000
people added to cities
each day for next 30 years
Image: Harvey Barrison; Source: UN-Habitat

11. CITIES ARE ECONOMIC DRIVERS
65%
global GDP
growth in
major cities
Image: istockphoto; Source: McKinsey and Company

12. BUT, CITIES BRING CHALLENGES
• 70% of GHG emissions
come from cities
• 10% GDP lost to congestion
• 1.3 million people die
prematurely due to urban
air pollution
Image: Flickr/PauloFehlauer; Sources: UN-Habitat, UNFCCC, WHO

13. THIS?
Image: Flickr/RodrigoSolon

14. OR THIS?
Image: Flikr/Andreas

15. CITIES: PROBLEM OR SOLUTION?
Per capita emissions of CO2 equivalent (2011)
Source: Cai et al. 2013, Hoornweg et al. 2011, Olivier et al. 2012

16. CITIES IN THE LEAD
Image: istockphoto

17. ALL EYES ON BRAZIL
$6.5bn
spent on the World Cup
Image: Wikipedia; Source: EMBARQ

18. FIFA 2014 WORLD CUP
3m
more visitors
in 2014
Source: Fifa.com

19. ALL EYES ON BRAZIL
85%
of Brazilians
live in cities
Image: istockphoto; Source: World Bank

20. TAKING IT TO THE STREETS
1m+
people on the
streets June 2013
Image: Flickr/Semilla Luz; Source: The Guardian

21. CREATING BETTER CITIES: URBAN MOBILITY LAW
3,000
Image: Flickr/EMBARQ; Source: EMBARQ
cities to create
plans by 2015

22. BETTER CITIES: BUS RAPID TRANSIT
12m
passengers per day
Image: Flickr/Guilherme Mendes Thomaz; Source: BRTdata.org

23. WHAT TO WATCH
1. What signals does
Brazil send on the
future of its cities?
2. Which way will
cities grow?
Image: Flickr/DylanPassmore

24. THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW
WILL THEY
GROW?
RESTORATION:
A 2 BILLION
HECTARE
OPPORTUNITY?
2
1 RESTORATION:
A 2 BILLION
HECTARE
OPPORTUNITY?
Image: Flickr/USAID Kenya

25. FORESTS UNDER PRESSURE
50
Image: WRI; Source: Hansen et al.2013, WRI
soccer fields
lost each minute

26. BUT, THERE’S HOPE…
2bn
Source: Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration
hectares with
opportunities for forest
landscape restoration

27. SOUTH KOREA: RESTORATION INTO FORESTS
1960
2000
Image: WRI

28. NIGER: RESTORATION INTO AGROFORESTRY
Pre-1990s
Image: WRI
Today

29. THE BONN CHALLENGE
150m
hectares under
restoration by 2020
Image: Flickr/CIFOR; Source: WRI

30. BONN CHALLENGE: BENEFITS
150m RESTORED HECTARES
• $84 billion in benefits annually
• 47 gigatons of CO2e captured
• 17% reduction in emissions gap
Image: Flickr/CIFOR; ource: IUCN

31. A GROWING MOVEMENT
BRAZIL - PACTO COSTA RICA EL SALVADOR
(1m ha)
(1m ha)
(1m ha)
Source: WRI
RWANDA
(2m ha)
USA
(15m ha)

32. WHAT TO WATCH
1. Will more countries
make commitments
when they meet in
June 2014?
2. Will a new global
movement for
restoration emerge?
Image:

33. THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW
WILL THEY
GROW?
RESTORATION:
A 2 BILLION
HECTARE
OPPORTUNITY?
SUSTAINABLE
PALM OIL: A
NEW ERA?
3
1 SUSTAINABLE PALM
OIL: A NEW ERA?
Image: istockphoto

34. PALM OIL: A MAJOR CROP
400%
increase in palm oil
production in 20 years
Image: Flickr/carsten_tb; Source: FAO

35. PALM OIL: A MAJOR CROP
50%
of grocery store
products contain
palm oil
Source: National Geographic 2013

36. SEIZING WIN-WINS: REDUCING DEFORESTATION
Image: WRI

37. SEIZING WIN-WINS: REDUCING DEFORESTATION
Image: WRI

38. SEIZING WIN-WINS: REDUCING DEFORESTATION
Image: WRI

39. SEIZING WIN-WINS: REDUCING DEFORESTATION
Image: WRI

40. A NEW APPROACH
“There is a strong and rapidly
growing demand for traceable,
deforestation-free palm oil, and we
intend to meet it as a core element
of our growth strategy.”
–Kuok Khoon Hong, CEO of Wilmar
Source: Wilmar Press Release 2013

41. A NEW APPROACH

42. A NEW APPROACH
16
Percentage of Total Area
14
12
Roundtable on
Sustainable Palm Oil
Certified Production Area
10
8
6
4
2
0
2008
2009
Image: Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, FAO
2010
2011
2012
2013

43. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH

44. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH

45. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH

46. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH

47. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH

48. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH

49. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH
TESSO NILO NATIONAL PARK

50. SPOTLIGHT ON FORESTS: GLOBAL FOREST WATCH
Image: Jufri/ Greenpeace

51. WHAT TO WATCH
1. Will better information
expedite the shift to
sustainable palm oil?
2. Will other industries
follow?
Image: istockphoto

52. THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW
WILL THEY
GROW?
RESTORATION:
A 2 BILLION
HECTARE
OPPORTUNITY?
SUSTAINABLE
PALM OIL: A
NEW ERA?
CHINA:
CLEARING THE
AIR?
4 CHINA: CLEARING
THE AIR?
Image: istockphoto

53. 2013: A YEAR OF POLLUTION
189
days of high pollution
in Beijing in 2013
Image: Flickr/Leniners

54. POPULAR UNREST
3m
mentions of
“PM 2.5” on SINA
WEIBO, Jan 2013
Image: Flickr/Robert Moposang; Source: The Guardian

55. A DRIVER OF POLLUTION
50%
Image: WRI; source: EIA 2013
global coal
consumed
by China

56. CHINA’S PROPOSED POWER PLANTS
363
COAL PLANTS
PROPOSED
Source: WRI

57. WATER-ENERGY NEXUS
51%
ARE IN AREAS
OF HIGH WATER
STRESS
Source: WRI

58. CLIMATE CHANGE: A “SERIOUS THREAT”
“Climate change is already a
serious threat to food, water,
ecological and energy security, and
to people’s lives and property.”
–National Development and
Reform Commission, Dec. 9, 2013

59. TAKING ACTION: AIR
$277bn
budgeted for anti-pollution
measures in the next 5 years
Image: WRI; Source: China Daily

60. TAKING ACTION: CUTTING COAL
Ban on New Coal Plants
in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou
Image: Flickr/Jonathan Kos-Read; source: ChinaFAQs

61. TAKING ACTION: ENFORCEMENT
8 cities
in China fined by
provincial government
for air pollution
Image: Flickr/Bert Van Djik; Source: Xinhua

62. TAKING ACTION: MORE RENEWABLES
50%
of all new power
capacity added
in Jan-Oct
Image: Flickr/Yuek Hahn ; Source: National Energy Administration (China)

63. HOW WILL PILOTS PERFORM?
7
emissions trading
systems running
in 2014
Source: ChinaFAQs

64. WHAT TO WATCH
1. A tipping point on air
pollution?
2. More progress to rein
in coal?
3. Will new renewables
outpace fossil fuels?
Image: WRI

65. THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW
WILL THEY
GROW?
RESTORATION:
A 2 BILLION
HECTARE
OPPORTUNITY?
SUSTAINABLE
PALM OIL: A
NEW ERA?
5
1 U.S. POWER:
SETTING A NEW
STANDARD?
Image: WRI
CHINA:
CLEARING THE
AIR?
U.S. POWER:
SETTING A NEW
STANDARD?

66. AN APPROACHING DEADLINE
New Guidelines
Issued by EPA by June 1, 2014
Image: Flickr/Mike_tn; Source: EPA

67. POWER PLANTS ACCOUNT FOR 1/3 OF U.S. EMISSIONS
26% Coal-Fired
Power Plants
6% Natural Gas-Fired
Power Plants
1% Other
Power Plants
Source: EPA

68. U.S. EMISSIONS TARGET
17%
Image: Flickr/The White House; Source: White House
emissions
reduction
by 2020

69. WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN NEW RULE
31%
reduction in GHG
emissions below
2011 by 2020
Image: Flickr/Alex Lang; Source: WRI
74%
reduction in GHG
emissions below
2011 by 2035

70. COAL UNDER PRESSURE
98
Image: Flickr/Jonathan Haeber; Source: EIA
plants retired
in last two years

71. “RIPE FOR RETIREMENT”
45%
Image: istockphoto; Source: UCS
of U.S. coal plants
announced or ripe
for retirement (UCS)

72. 2014: IS CCS FINALLY HERE?
Kemper Project
Image: Wikipedia

73. WHAT TO WATCH
1. Will EPA rules
be ambitious?
2. Will a US medium-term
strategy emerge?
Image: Flickr/wigwam

74. THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW
WILL THEY
GROW?
RESTORATION:
A 2 BILLION
HECTARE
OPPORTUNITY?
SUSTAINABLE
PALM OIL: A
NEW ERA?
6
1 UN SUMMIT:
MOMENTUM
ON CLIMATE?
Image: Wikimedia
CHINA:
CLEARING THE
AIR?
U.S. POWER:
SETTING A NEW
STANDARD?
UN SUMMIT:
MOMENTUM ON
CLIMATE?

75. NEARLY 100 COUNTRIES WITH GHG GOALS
Source: UNFCCC

76. IMPACTS MOUNTING
Image: Flickr/Rembcc

77. UNBURNABLE CARBON
3000
Coal 65%
2500
Two thirds of
reserves
“unburnable”
Gt CO2
2000
1500
1000
Oil 22%
500
Gas 13%
0
Budget
Source: Rystad Energy, Carbon Tracker
Proven reserves

78. SUBSIDIZING THE WRONG THING
$2tn
Image: Flickr/Berardo62; Source: IMF
annual energy
subsidies (IMF)

79. IPCC REPORTS – MARCH & APRIL
Image: Flickr/Gavin Golden

80. “RISKY BUSINESS” – JUNE
Images: Wikipedia

81. NEW CLIMATE ECONOMY – SEPTEMBER
Image: WRI

82. CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT – SEPTEMBER
Image: Flickr/UNClimateChange

83. PATHWAY TO PARIS
Image: Wikimedia

84. WHAT TO WATCH
1. Will growing evidence
spur public pressure?
2. How will heads
of state respond?
Image: Flickr/Philip Roeland

85. THE YEAR OF
CITIES: HOW
WILL THEY
GROW?
RESTORATION:
A 2 BILLION
HECTARE
OPPORTUNITY?
SUSTAINABLE
PALM OIL: A
NEW ERA?
CHINA:
CLEARING THE
AIR?
U.S. POWER:
SETTING A NEW
STANDARD?
1
7 A BILLION VOTERS:
WHICH DIRECTION
WILL THEY CHOOSE?
Image: istockphoto
UN SUMMIT:
MOMENTUM ON
CLIMATE?
A BILLION
VOTERS: WHICH
DIRECTION WILL
THEY CHOOSE?

86. A MOMENT OF OPPORTUNITY
• 3 of the 4 largest democracies
to elect heads of government
• 25% of world’s population
• 40% of the global poor
Image: istockphoto

87. ELECTIONS: BRAZIL
136m
voters in Brazil
Image: Flickr/Dilma Rousseff; Source: IDEA

88. ELECTIONS: INDIA
780m
voters in India
Image: Flickr/London Summit; Source: IDEA

89. ELECTIONS: INDONESIA
160m
voters in Indonesia
Image: Flickr/World Economic Forum; Source: IDEA

90. ELECTIONS: EUROPEAN UNION
Image: Flickr.EEAS

91. U.S. MIDTERM ELECTIONS
Image: istockphoto

92. ELECTIONS MATTER
Image: Wikipedia

93. WHAT TO WATCH
1. Which way will these
elections go?
2. What will the results
tell us about
economic
development and
sustainability?
Image: Flickr/Al_Jazeera_English

94. 1
THE YEAR OF CITIES:
HOW WILL THEY GROW?
2
RESTORATION: A 2 BILLION
HECTARE OPPORTUNITY?
3
SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL:
A NEW ERA?
4
CHINA: CLEARING
THE AIR?
5
U.S. POWER: SETTING A
NEW STANDARD?
6
UN SUMMIT: MOMENTUM
ON CLIMATE?
7
A BILLION VOTERS: WHICH
DIRECTION WILL THEY CHOOSE?