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. 

Skip carousel items
A man picks a tomato from a dumpster filled with discarded food.

Food Waste 101

GuideUnited StatesShelia Hu
An overview of why we throw away so much food, how it impacts people and the planet, and what we can do to waste less.
A bee landing on a blooming purple flower

Neonics: The Toxic Truth

Fact SheetUnited States, Minnesota, Michigan, California, ColoradoAllison Johnson, Daniel Raichel, Lucas Rhoads, Lena Freij
Pesticides kill bees, pollute water, and threaten our health.
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.

Viewing 1 - 20 of 42

Active filters:

Remove all filters

Filter Results

Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know

GuideFlintMelissa Denchak
After officials repeatedly dismissed claims that Flint’s water was making people sick, residents took action. Here’s how the lead contamination crisis unfolded—and what we can learn from it.

Sea Level Rise 101

GuideUnited States, InternationalCaroline Craig, Brian Palmer

The causes and effects of this undeniable consequence of climate change—and how communities can respond.

Losing Ground: Flood Data Visualization Tool

MapUnited States
The federal government’s efforts to reduce repeated flooding are not keeping pace with current risk—let alone the increasing risk posed by sea level rise, increased severe weather, and other climate change impacts.

Climate Adaptation 101

GuideUnited StatesSimone Scully, Jenny Shalant
As the effects of climate change intensify, the need to prepare communities, minimize harm, and plan for future impacts has never been clearer.

Flooding and Climate Change: Everything You Need to Know

GuideUnited StatesMelissa Denchak
A growing number of communities—both coastal and inland—are finding themselves underwater. Extreme weather, sea level rise, and other climate change impacts are increasingly to blame. Here’s a look at what links flooding and our warming world.

Causes and Effects of Lead in Water

GuideUnited States, Flint, Michigan, IllinoisKeith Mulvihill

How this harmful neurotoxin got into our taps and what it’ll take to get it out.

Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know

GuideUnited States, InternationalMelissa Denchak
Our rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and seas are drowning in chemicals, waste, plastic, and other pollutants. Here’s why―and what you can do to help.

What Are the Solutions to Climate Change?

GuideUnited States, InternationalJeff Turrentine
Some solutions are big and will require billions in investment. Some are small and free. All are achievable.

What Are the Effects of Climate Change?

GuideUnited States, InternationalCourtney Lindwall

A rapidly warming planet poses an existential threat to all life on earth. Just how bad it gets depends on how quickly we act.

Hurricanes and Climate Change: Everything You Need to Know

GuideUnited States, InternationalMelissa Denchak

The most widespread, damaging storms on earth are getting worse, and climate change is a big reason why. Here’s a look at what causes hurricanes and how to address the threat of a wetter, windier world.

Regenerative Agriculture 101

GuideUnited StatesNRDC
NRDC interviewed more than 100 farmers and ranchers who are building healthy soil and growing climate-resilient communities across the country. This guide incorporates much of what we learned.

Natural Gas 101

GuideUnited StatesBrian Palmer

An overview of gas, pollution, and climate change.

Millions Served by Water Systems Detecting Lead

MapUnited StatesKristi Pullen Fedinick
An analysis by NRDC of the most recent EPA data shows that between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020, 186 million people in the United States—a staggering 56 percent of the U.S. population—drank water from drinking water systems detecting…

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.