News & Commentary

Bees on the Brink: Will Minnesota Act to Save Them?

February 13, 2024 Expert BlogMinnesotaLucas Rhoads

The legislature has a crucial opportunity to pass bills to protect people and pollinators from needless pesticide use.

Organic Needs a Boost in the Farm Bill

July 12, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, California, Iowa, Washington, D.C.Allison Johnson

Our public investments in organic food production have not kept pace with the organic sector’s growth – and that’s a missed opportunity for domestic economic development. The Opportunities in Organic Act would help U.S. farms meet consumer demand by reducing…

RGGI States Learning and Sharing On Climate and Equity

June 6, 2023 Expert BlogEast, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, VirginiaJackson Morris

A new report finds that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative delivers on jobs, emissions reduction, and economic benefits—and provides a framework to address equity in the future.

Pollinators Notch Big Wins in Minnesota

May 26, 2023 Expert BlogSt. PaulLucas Rhoads

In a historic 2023 session, Minnesota reined in pesticide use, increased pollinator habitat, and built momentum toward additional protections. 

Cover Crops for Every Climate

February 17, 2023 Expert BlogWest, Midwest, East, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho, New Mexico, TexasLara Bryant, Dr. Daniel Rath

Cover crops are adaptable, valuable, and effective enough that farmers can benefit from them in every region of the United States—even cold or dry areas.

One Year Since Court Restored ESA Protections for Wolves

February 10, 2023 Expert BlogCalifornia, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, WisconsinDr. Jennifer Sherry

Without these protections, wolf recovery could be stopped dead in its tracks—or even reversed—as we have seen happen when states with authority over wolf management work to cut populations down through aggressive measures.

Honolulu Benchmarking Will Cut Costs, Save Energy and Water

July 6, 2022 Expert BlogHonolulu, HawaiiElizabeth Stampe, Olivia Walker

Honolulu’s City Council passes a benchmarking and transparency ordinance to help building owners cut costs by tracking their energy and water use, enabling them to save money and resources while reducing emissions.

Iowa Group Protects Bee Habitat Amid ESA Battle

February 9, 2022 Expert BlogIowa, MidwestLucas Rhoads

While NRDC and our partners are in court fighting to win habitat protections for the endangered rusty patched bumble bee, the Bur Oak Land Trust is also taking matters into its own hands.

Clean Truck Rules Will Benefit Southern New England

November 30, 2021 Expert BlogMassachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode IslandKathy Harris, Patricio Portillo

The states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island stand to see $12.7 billion dollars in net societal benefits, improved health and air quality, and increased investments over the next 30 years through adoption of Clean Truck Programs in their states.

For Thousands of Years, Indigenous Tribes Have Been Planting for the Future

November 30, 2021 DispatchIowa, Canada, Pennsylvania, OklahomaSusan Cosier

With yields of biodiversity and a more climate-resilient food supply, a movement is sprouting in BIPOC communities across North America to save heirloom seeds and preserve culture.

Biden Team Moves to Save the Boundary Waters

October 20, 2021 Expert BlogMinnesotaDavid Doniger

The Biden administration’s very welcome decision to block sulfide-ore copper mining on the edges of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is personal to me and my family. My in-laws have roots there going back more than a century, and…

A Native Hawaiian Digs into Her Roots to Grow Food, Knowledge, and Hope

May 18, 2021 DispatchHawaiiJeff Turrentine

Inspired by an ancient system of natural resource management, Kukui Maunakea-Forth works with her community to turn Oʻahu youth into farmers—and scholars.

Stressed by Heat, Farmworkers Deserve Federal Protections

March 26, 2021 Expert BlogCalifornia, Washington, MinnesotaTeniope Adewumi-Gunn

Unprotected from many basic workplace rights and in the face of a growing climate crisis that threatens their well-being, farmworkers deserve federal safeguards from extreme heat and its dangerous effects.

Honolulu Charts a Path Away from Fossil Fuels

March 2, 2021 DispatchHawaii, HonoluluCourtney Lindwall

As part of the American Cities Climate Challenge, a coalition of climate advocates just helped pass a series of bills that will curb emissions and rein in Honolulu’s sky-high cost of living at once.

Bipartisan States Commit to Clean and Healthy Transportation

December 21, 2020 Expert BlogMassachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Washington, D.C.Bruce Ho

A bipartisan group of Eastern states announce an agreement to modernize transportation.

In Landmark Victory for Indigenous Communities, Dakota Access Pipeline Ordered to Shut Down

July 7, 2020 Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South Dakota, IowaNRDC

The dangerous crude oil pipeline threatened the water supplies and ways of life for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. The win underscores the power of dogged defense by Indigenous groups and conservationists, as well as the importance of the National…

General Electric’s Coal Plant Profiteering Needs to End Now

September 9, 2019 Expert BlogInternational, AfricaHan Chen

The U.S.-based giant General Electric (GE), wants to carry on quietly with business activities that seriously endanger millions of people and the planet.

Victory for Imperiled Species at World Wildlife Conference

August 29, 2019 Expert BlogInternational, AfricaZak Smith

African elephants, Asian otters, giraffes, vaquita, rhinos, and sharks win big at World Wildlife Conference.

Giraffes Win International Protections to Limit Their Trade

August 22, 2019 Expert BlogInternational, AfricaElly Pepper

The protections will ensure that all giraffe parts trade were legally acquired instead of from poached giraffes trade by requiring countries to make non-detriment findings before allowing giraffe exports.

Will CITES Parties Stick Necks Out for Giraffes at CoP18?

August 6, 2019 Expert BlogAfrica, InternationalElly Pepper

Giraffes receive little international protection even though they face many threats, including habitat loss, disease, international trade in giraffe parts, and hunting trophies.