News & Commentary

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…

Developers Abandon the Atlantic Coast Pipeline for Good

July 6, 2020 Expert BlogWest Virginia, Virginia, North CarolinaNRDC

The decision is a landmark win for those who saw the polluting project as a threat to waterways, wildlife, the climate, and vulnerable communities.

Three Lessons Learned from the Axed Atlantic Coast Pipeline

July 6, 2020 Expert BlogVirginia, West Virginia, North CarolinaGillian Giannetti

This is a significant and long-overdue victory for the landowners, community leaders, countless people across three states, and environmental advocates who have fought this project for years.

China, Top Player in World A/C Market, Raises Efficiency Bar

July 1, 2020 Expert BlogChinaNoah Horowitz, Alex Hillbrand

China implemented one of the world’s most stringent energy efficiency requirements for room air conditioners today. The move by the globe’s largest buyer and manufacturer of these appliances will save huge amounts of carbon-intensive electricity, putting a formidable dent in…

Morgan Stanley Dumps the Pebble Mine, Northern Dynasty

June 22, 2020 Expert BlogAlaskaJoel Reynolds

Multinational investment banking and financial services firm reports over 99 percent reduction in shares of Northern Dynasty Minerals, sole owner of widely condemned Bristol Bay mining scheme.

The Humble Beaver: Troublemaker or Climate Superhero?

May 27, 2020 DispatchMontana, WestAlisa Opar

Beavers create rich habitats and act as buffers against the effects of drought and wildfire—spurring efforts to pinpoint new ways to help us coexist with North America’s largest rodent.

Agrivoltaics: Sheep (and Soil Scientists) Juice Up the Solar Farm

February 20, 2020 DispatchGeorgia, North Carolina, EastRobynne Boyd

Solar farmers get a hand from regenerative agriculture experts to feed the soil under their arrays—another powerful tool to help fight climate change.

These Prehistoric Fish Are Making a Slow Comeback in the Midwest

January 23, 2020 DispatchWisconsin, MichiganSusan Cosier

Conservationists, fishers, and fans of the iconic lake sturgeon have seen some success in their efforts to revive the population, including through hand-rearing and releasing the babies—and yes, spearing the big ones.

For a Rare Woodpecker in the Longleaf Pine Forest, It's a Hard-Knock Life

January 21, 2020 DispatchFlorida, EastRobynne Boyd

Conservationists have worked hard to help the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker recover, but say there’s still lots more to do. The government seems to disagree.

A Light in Dark Places: NRDC Sues to Defend Efficient Bulbs

November 4, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, MassachusettsJoe Vukovich

Needing Water, Georgia Stirs Up a 200-Year-Old Dispute With Its Northern Neighbor

October 29, 2019 DispatchGeorgiaAustyn Gaffney

As droughts parch the Southeast, interstate squabbles heat up over the Tennessee River (and the Chattahoochee . . . and the Flint . . . and the Apalachicola).

America’s Dairyland May Have a PFAS Problem

October 11, 2019 DispatchMidwest, Wisconsin, MaineSusan Cosier

The toxic chemicals have been showing up in milk around the country, prompting midwestern farmers to take a closer look at their land.

Pebble Mine: Conservation Groups Sue Trump Administration

October 9, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, AlaskaTaryn Kiekow Heimer

Trump administration violated the law by reversing proposed protections for Bristol Bay, Alaska.

Damage from Florida Everglades Oil Hunt Persists

October 3, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, FloridaAlison Kelly

New Film Takes on the Pebble Mine in Defense of Bristol Bay

September 5, 2019 Expert BlogAlaskaJoel Reynolds

A screening of The Wild and a post-film panel is scheduled for September 19, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

America Should Export Clean Energy, Not Climate Chaos

August 29, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, China, InternationalDan West, Han Chen

As Congress revisits America’s foreign development strategies, it should prioritize clean energy solutions both at home and abroad to chart a more sustainable path forward and provide other countries with a truly clean energy financing alternative to Russia and China.

New Article: In Montana, Unlikely Allies Find Common Ground

August 28, 2019 Expert BlogMontanaDr. Jennifer Sherry

Pebble Mine: An Open Letter to CEO, Wheaton Precious Metals

August 27, 2019 Expert BlogAlaskaJoel Reynolds

Bristol Bay coalition dismisses Governor’s claim of outside influence in Pebble Mine opposition, calling claim “demonstrably false” and “insulting to Alaskans,” vowing “we will never relent.”

Showing Migrating Monarch Butterflies Some Southern Hospitality

August 26, 2019 DispatchMexico, Texas, HoustonRobynne Boyd

Non-native tropical milkweed fuels monarchs on their journey through southern states, but when cooler weather hits, the plant can bring parasites and starvation. Here’s what butterfly-loving southerners can do.

When Will the Endangered Florida Panther Catch a Break?

August 22, 2019 Expert BlogFloridaAlison Kelly

We must demand action by fighting any rollbacks of Florida Panther protections under the Endangered Species Act and oppose further development of its remaining habitat. The survival of this iconic cat depends on it.