Data, Reports & Resources

NRDC is a leader and trusted source in environmental policy and research. 

From reports to issue briefs, we ensure accountability through peer review led by our Science Office, which provides data and scientific analysis that help shape and guide NRDC’s policies and positions. We also offer a range of other resources, such as 101 guides and consumer-focused scorecards to increase access to knowledge about how everyone can be a catalyst for change. 

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A plastic cup among a pile of wet leaves and branches on the ground

Single-Use Plastics 101

GuideUnited StatesCourtney Lindwall
Here’s everything you need to know about the most ubiquitous (and avoidable) kind of plastic waste: the kind made to be tossed in mere minutes.
A pipe sits atop dirt next to a building

Will Funds for Water Infrastructure Flow Fairly?

ReportUnited StatesBecky Hammer, Erik D. Olson
These report cards grade all 50 states on water funding equity.
A view of the cross-section of a cut water pipe

Getting the Lead Out: Removing Lead Pipes Would Yield Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in Health Benefits

Issue BriefUnited StatesErik D. Olson
Removing lead service lines could save the United States an estimated $786 billion from avoided health impacts over the next 35 years.

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Colorado 2030: Committing to Equitable Climate Action

ReportColoradoAriana Gonzalez, Arjun Krishnaswami, Noah Long
Analysis from NRDC and our partners outlines effective and equitable actions Colorado can take to achieve the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

Guide to Community Climate Vulnerability Assessments

ReportUnited StatesMarissa Ramirez, Kristi Pullen Fedinick
Communities across United States face the joint challenges of climate change and growing inequality. Properly addressing these challenges means first understanding the unique situation of each community—where they are vulnerable and where policies will have the greatest impact.

Get the Lead Out of Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Centers

OverviewUnited StatesJoan Leary Matthews, Kristi Pullen Fedinick, Mae Wu, Erik D. Olson
NRDC has developed model state legislation that would require schools and child care centers to install filters on drinking water taps, conduct lead testing, and remediate problems.

A Pipe Dream or Climate Solution?

Issue BriefUnited StatesMerrian Borgeson
Biogas and synthetic gas, commonly referred to as “renewable natural gas,” are often not as climate-friendly as claimed, and burning fuels like methane still creates harmful air pollutants. We must be strategic about how we deploy them and keep our…

Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC)

OverviewUnited StatesShelley Poticha, Yerina Mugica, Stephanie Gidigbi Jenkins, Catherine Cox Blair, Sasha Forbes, AICP, Marissa Ramirez
NRDC is a founding partner of SPARCC, an initiative for equitable, community-led investment and a model to spur systemic change in the way we approach community investment and development.

Our Forests Aren't Fuel

OverviewInternational, United States, Virginia, North Carolina, East
When companies cut down and burn trees to make electricity, the result is increased climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions, devastated ecosystems, and displaced wildlife.

Watered Down Justice

ReportUnited StatesKristi Pullen Fedinick
While the Safe Drinking Water Act guarantees all Americans access to clean, drinkable water, it hasn’t worked out that way in practice.

Climate and Clean Energy Action in Latin America

Issue BriefMexico, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, ChileCarolina Herrera, Amanda Maxwell, Han Chen
NRDC is tracking countries’ progress on their climate commitments and encouraging bold action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Burnout: E.U. Clean Energy Policies Lead to Forest Destruction

Issue PaperInternationalSasha Stashwick
Countries considering new policies to replace aging fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure, both inside and outside the European Union, must rule out incentives for burning forest biomass instead of or alongside coal.

Cost of Building Power Plants in Your State

OverviewUnited States
Use the levelized cost of electricity tool to explore the cost of building and operating a new power plant in your state using different technologies.

Harnessing the Wind: How to Advance Wind Power Offshore

Issue BriefUnited States, East, WestAlison Chase
Even with its immense long-term benefits, offshore wind power, like all types of energy development, poses risks to its immediate environment and must be developed responsibly.