Blog
Engaging the Private Sector to Invest in Resilience
June 24, 2019
Over a quarter century since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed, we endure and brace for the intensifying impacts of rising global temperatures. While international climate negotiations crawl along, most people agree that we remain achingly far from the monumental changes needed to prepare for climate change. Beyond responding to […]
To the Class of 2019…
June 18, 2019
In the United States, May and June is graduation season, when America’s youth mark an important milestone in leaving behind known comforts and pursuing economic independence. The occasion is observed with platitudes from community leaders, politicians, business leaders and celebrities about seizing the moment, the endless opportunities ahead of them, and being the change they […]
In Africa, Harnessing the Bounty of the Sea
June 5, 2019
I was eight years old when I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time. It seemed so vast and limitless it was hard to imagine what was on the other side, let alone understand what an incredible resource it is. As a native of Minnesota, I grew up around a lot of water — […]
How much does forest restoration benefit climate?
May 29, 2019
The Paris Agreement was a historic turning point in climate negotiations. As a global commitment toward changing the development trajectories of countries around the world, it acknowledged the reality of climate change and the imperative to mitigate the rise of global temperatures by reducing national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Signatories agreed to a 2-degree Celsius […]
Quality on Tap
May 29, 2019
Just as water pumps are a ubiquitous symbol of international development, a broken one is the symbol of the sector’s need for oversight and quality assurance. Enter Badri Baral, director of Winrock International’s Renewable Energy Project Support Office in Nepal. He oversees Winrock’s latest project with USAID Nepal, Safaa Pani, providing oversight and quality control […]
‘Everybody is Bringing Something to the Table’
May 28, 2019
At its best, mentorship is an essential component of growth and development for both mentors and mentees. This is certainly true for participants in the Community Food Systems Mentorship Program, a national initiative led by Winrock’s Wallace Center that builds mentoring relationships among food systems leaders across the U.S. “While it is extremely important that […]
Shaping Green Growth in Malawi
April 15, 2019
As my third trip to Malawi in a year came to an end, it was apparent that we have reached a milestone that many might not have thought achievable when we started this project five years ago. On April 4, I attended the launch of Malawi’s new National Greenhouse Gas Inventory System (GHG-IS), where Government […]
Keeping Fish Fresh in Mozambique
April 9, 2019
This year the Clean Energy team is implementing a new project called GreenTech, where we are working with U.S. refrigeration company SunDanzer to commercialize solar chillers for smallholders in five African countries. In Mozambique, where the electrical grid covers only 28 percent of the population, our mandate is to determine whether there is a feasible […]
Goat Bridges the Cultural Divide
March 28, 2019
The mission of Winrock International’s agriculture unit is to develop partnerships, pilot new ideas and advance solutions to strengthen communities through resilient farming and food systems. While our impact is global, sometimes we get to enjoy the benefits ourselves. This February, two important events for Winrock converged in Washington, D.C. Winrock’s international agriculture programs […]
What You May Not Know About Vietnam
March 11, 2019
As Asia’s newest tiger economy and host of the Trump-Kim Nuclear Summit on February 27-28, Vietnam has been the subject of amplified international attention recently. Yet the roar of press coverage about the country’s impressive post-war transformation has failed to highlight the example Vietnam has set for balancing economic development with climate goals. Since 2012, […]