News & Commentary

The Long, Long Battle for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

March 15, 2024 ExplainerAlaskaBrian Palmer, Nicole Greenfield

For decades, politicians have vacillated between protecting Alaska’s refuge as one of the last unspoiled places on earth and plundering it for oil.

How the Energy Grid Works (Well, Most of the Time)

June 22, 2022 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer, Jeff Turrentine

Clean energy isn’t responsible for blackouts, brownouts, and rolling outages—no matter what the coal industry would have you believe.

Should You Buy Carbon Offsets?

May 11, 2022 ExplainerUnited States, InternationalBrian Palmer

A practical and philosophical guide to neutralizing your carbon footprint.

A Catalyst for the Midwest’s Clean Energy Transition

December 1, 2020 NRDC in ActionKansas City (Kansas), St. Louis, Missouri, New York CityBrian Palmer

Ashok Gupta spent decades cleaning up New York’s grid and reducing its reliance on dirty fuels. Now he’s working to bring the clean energy future to the Midwest.

Air Quality Is Worsening for Half of the World’s People

July 2, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

A new study shows that most of us humans are likely inhaling more air pollution each year.

Clean Air Warrior

March 20, 2020 NRDC in ActionUnited StatesBrian Palmer

David Doniger, senior strategic director of the Climate & Clean Energy Program, has helped shape federal and global climate-related policies since he joined NRDC in 1978.

Ocean Steward

March 12, 2020 NRDC in ActionUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Sarah Chasis, a senior attorney in the Nature Program’s Oceans division, has nearly 50 years of experience defending our coasts from offshore drilling.

This Is What a Just Transition Looks Like

March 2, 2020 ExplainerUnited States, Peoria, IllinoisBrian Palmer

To help a community leave its dirty energy economy behind, advocates must fight for local representation, equity, and retraining that prepares workers for high-quality jobs.

If the Government Won’t Act on Climate, Maybe Banks Will

April 25, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, Washington, D.C.Brian Palmer

Gun-control activists want to use financial levers to curtail firearm sales. Can we do the same for carbon emissions?

Still No Approved Route for KXL in Nebraska

June 1, 2017 ExplainerUnited States, NebraskaBrian Palmer

Yes, Trump has green-lighted the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. But Nebraska’s got a slew of public hearings on the calendar, and legal challenges loom large.

Why We Need the EPA

February 14, 2017 ExplainerPuerto Rico, New York City, United States, ClevelandBrian Palmer

Let’s not forget what America looked like before we had the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Our rivers caught on fire, our air was full of smog, and it stank (literally).

Shake-Up for the Federal Coal-Leasing Program

February 2, 2017 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Trump is pushing a fossil fuel–heavy energy agenda, but in the final days of the Obama administration, the Bureau of Land Management left a hurdle in his path.

Scott Pruitt Wants to Take Us Back to the ’50s

January 13, 2017 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

The incoming head of the EPA believes states should be in charge of their own environmental regulations. Been there, done that, got the oil-soaked T-shirt.

Trump’s Cabinet of Horrors

January 6, 2017 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Congressional hearings kick off for those who will lead our government’s top agencies. Earth has reason to worry.

Does Nuclear Power Have a Future in America?

April 4, 2016 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

As the country seeks to cut its carbon emissions, we look into whether clean-burning nuclear reactors are a worthwhile option.

The Rise and Fall of Diesel

March 15, 2016 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Clean diesel is an object lesson on "too good to be true." Any kind of diesel exhaust is truly terrible—both for the environment and for our health.

The Final Fifth

February 2, 2016 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Current regulations will achieve 80 percent of the country’s climate goal. Where will the rest come from?

As India Goes, So Goes Civilization

January 22, 2016 Latest NewsIndiaBrian Palmer

How India builds its energy grid could decide the fate of humanity. Maybe we should help the country out.

It’s the End of the Beginning of the End for U.S. Coal

January 15, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

The government has just suspended new coal leases on federal land. The coal industry may never recover.

Promises, Promises

December 15, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, InternationalBrian Palmer

Cities, states, and businesses—not just those world leaders in Paris—will save us from climate change. Here’s what they’re going to do.