WRI’s State of Climate Action: Measuring the Gap Between Goals and Progress
Climate pledges are widespread, but promises alone do not reveal whether the world is moving fast enough to limit global warming. The State of Climate Action reports, produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and partner organizations, examine that question by comparing real-world progress with the pace of change needed to meet global climate goals.
What the Reports Measure
Rather than focus on a single emissions figure, the reports track indicators across major parts of the economy and society. These include electricity, buildings, transportation, industry, land and forests, food and agriculture, and climate finance. Indicators look at practical changes—for example, how quickly renewable power is expanding, how many vehicles are electric, and whether deforestation is falling.
For each indicator, researchers compare current trends with benchmarks for 2030 and, in some cases, 2050. The benchmarks reflect pathways consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. This approach helps show not only where emissions are coming from, but also which changes need to accelerate.
A Clear Warning About the Pace of Change
The reports’ central message is that global climate action is not advancing quickly enough. In the 2023 edition, the assessment covered 42 indicators and found that progress was far off track across nearly all of them. Some areas showed movement in the right direction, but the pace was generally too slow to meet the report’s climate-aligned benchmarks.
This gap matters because climate goals depend on multiple transitions happening together. Cleaner electricity, for instance, can reduce emissions from cars and buildings—but only as those sectors switch away from fossil fuels. Cutting emissions in one area cannot fully make up for delays in another.
Where Faster Action Can Make a Difference
The findings point to several priorities. Governments can speed up the shift to renewable electricity, strengthen energy-efficiency standards, and expand reliable public transit and electric-vehicle infrastructure. Businesses can reduce emissions in their operations and supply chains, while investors can direct more funding toward low-carbon projects and away from activities that lock in high emissions.
Protecting and restoring forests is also essential. Forests store carbon and support biodiversity and local livelihoods, but land conversion and deforestation continue to undermine climate progress. In food systems, reducing agricultural emissions and food loss while supporting sustainable production can help deliver climate and environmental benefits.
Why Tracking Progress Matters
Climate targets can seem abstract. Tracking specific indicators makes them more useful by showing whether policies and investments are producing change at the scale and speed required. It can also help governments, companies, and civil society identify areas that need attention and hold decision-makers accountable for results.
Indicators do not tell the whole story. National circumstances differ, and a global benchmark does not replace detailed local planning. Still, consistent measurement provides a valuable reality check: it helps distinguish announcements from implementation and early progress from progress that is sufficient.
Turning the Findings Into Action
The State of Climate Action is ultimately a call to close the gap between climate ambition and measurable outcomes. The reports show that existing efforts need to move faster, reach further, and work across sectors. Meeting climate goals will require durable public policies, private investment, technological progress, and a just transition that supports workers and communities.
The indicators offer a way to keep that work visible. By measuring progress regularly and responding when efforts fall short, decision-makers can focus on the changes that matter most—and help turn climate commitments into results.
Understanding WRI’s State of Climate Action: Key Questions and Insights
- What is WRI’s State of Climate Action?
- Who publishes the State of Climate Action reports?
- What climate indicators does the report track?
- How does the report measure progress toward the 1.5°C goal?
- What are the main findings of the latest State of Climate Action report?
- Which sectors are furthest off track for meeting climate goals?
- What actions does the report recommend to accelerate climate progress?
- How often is the State of Climate Action report updated?
- Where can I read or download the State of Climate Action report?
What is WRI’s State of Climate Action?
WRI’s State of Climate Action is a research initiative led by the World Resources Institute and partner organizations that tracks whether global progress is keeping pace with the changes needed to limit warming to 1.5°C. It assesses indicators across key areas—including energy, transportation, buildings, industry, food and land use, and climate finance—and compares current trends with climate-aligned milestones. The findings help show where action is advancing, where it is falling short, and which efforts need to speed up.
Who publishes the State of Climate Action reports?
The State of Climate Action reports are published by the World Resources Institute (WRI) in collaboration with research and climate-policy partners. Depending on the edition, contributors have included Climate Analytics, Climate Action Tracker, ClimateWorks Foundation, NewClimate Institute, the Bezos Earth Fund, and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions. Together, these organizations assess global progress toward key climate goals.
What climate indicators does the report track?
The report tracks indicators across the major systems that drive greenhouse gas emissions and climate solutions, including power, buildings, transportation, industry, forests and land, food and agriculture, and climate finance. Measures include the growth of renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, reductions in deforestation, and funding for climate action. The specific indicators can vary by report edition; together, they show whether progress is keeping pace with pathways consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C.
How does the report measure progress toward the 1.5°C goal?
The report measures progress by tracking indicators across major sectors, including energy, transportation, buildings, industry, food and land use, and climate finance. For each indicator, it compares the latest available data with milestones and rates of change identified as necessary to keep the 1.5°C goal within reach, based on climate-aligned pathways. This shows whether action is on track, moving in the right direction but too slowly, or falling behind.
What are the main findings of the latest State of Climate Action report?
The latest WRI State of Climate Action report, released in 2024, finds that global progress is far too slow to meet the goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C. Of the 45 indicators assessed across energy, transportation, buildings, industry, food and land use, and climate finance, only one—the share of electric vehicles in passenger-car sales—was judged on track for 2030. The report calls for much faster emissions cuts, a rapid shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, stronger protection of forests and ecosystems, and significantly greater climate investment.
Which sectors are furthest off track for meeting climate goals?
The State of Climate Action finds that climate progress is off track across nearly every area, rather than identifying one sector as the sole laggard. The gaps are especially serious in land use and food systems, where deforestation and agricultural emissions remain difficult to curb, and in heavy industry, where cutting emissions from materials such as steel and cement is challenging. The transition away from fossil fuels and the funding needed to support climate action are also falling short. The precise ranking depends on the indicator and report edition, but the overall message is clear: every major sector needs faster action.
What actions does the report recommend to accelerate climate progress?
The report calls for faster, more coordinated action across energy, transportation, buildings, industry, food, land use, and finance. Key steps include rapidly expanding renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, electrifying vehicles and buildings, phasing down fossil fuels, cutting methane emissions, protecting and restoring forests, and shifting investment toward climate-friendly solutions. It also emphasizes stronger policies, increased funding, and regular tracking of results so governments and businesses can identify gaps and speed up progress.
How often is the State of Climate Action report updated?
The State of Climate Action report is updated periodically rather than on a fixed annual schedule. Each new edition incorporates the latest available data and reassesses progress toward global climate goals; check WRI’s website for the most recent edition.
Where can I read or download the State of Climate Action report?
You can read or download the State of Climate Action report from the World Resources Institute (WRI) website. Visit WRI.org and search for “State of Climate Action” to find the report page for the edition you’re interested in; it typically includes the full report and related summaries or materials for download.