News & Commentary

Meet the activists and NRDC staff propelling change, read our expert analysis, and learn about the latest challenges and solutions to advancing a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable world.

Latest News

Stay on top of the latest research, policy updates, publication releases, and environmental news. 

Explainer

Get a breakdown of complex climate, public health, nature, and equity topics to inform your activism.

Dispatch

Read about activists tackling climate justice and other environmental causes in their communities and beyond.

Perspectives

Discover intersectional viewpoints from activists and artists on the environmental issues of the moment.

NRDC in Action

Find out how NRDC protects people and the planet by learning about some of our key fights.

Expert Blogs

Hear from our policy advocates, scientists, and litigators about the challenges and solutions for building a healthier and more just world.

Bristol Bay Salmon: A “Vitally Important Economic Engine”

Expert BlogAlaskaTaryn Kiekow Heimer
A new report quantified the economic benefits of Bristol Bay’s wild salmon, which generate $2.2 billion in value, support 15,000 American jobs, and supply 57 percent of the world’s sockeye salmon. Bristol Bay’s wild salmon are also the lifeblood of…

Pebble Mine: Investors Beware

Expert BlogAlaskaJoel Reynolds
After denial of federal permit, Canadian owner of embattled Bristol Bay mining scheme doubles down on assurances to potential investors, ignoring intensifying support of demand by Alaskans for permanent protection of Bristol Bay fishery.

Taking Care of the Food Workers Who Take Care of Us

NRDC in ActionColoradoNicole Greenfield
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the inequities faced by food- and farmworkers who put their health in danger just by coming to work each day. NRDC is pushing to change that.

Pebble Mine 2020 in Review: A Win for the Soul of the Earth

Expert BlogUnited States, AlaskaJoel Reynolds
Army Corps denies permit for destructive Bristol Bay mega-mine, stunning company that vows to appeal, while Alaskans and opposition coalition focus on long-term protections for Bristol Bay.

Cities Are Leading the Way: 2020 Wins & Look Ahead

Expert BlogUnited States, Charlotte, Honolulu, Pittsburgh, St. LouisJay Orfield, Kimi Narita
Cities made tremendous progress in their climate challenge goals throughout a difficult 2020. Now, cities are eyeing all that is possible in the new year.

A Champion for Equitable and Sustainable Infrastructure

NRDC in ActionLos Angeles, PhiladelphiaShelia Hu
Stephanie Gidigbi Jenkins is pushing for public policy solutions that address social equity and climate justice while strengthening access to reliable transportation, affordable housing, and open spaces.

Right Whales Suffer Precipitous Decline

Expert BlogUnited States, CanadaDr. Francine Kershaw
356. The number of North Atlantic right whales estimated to remain on earth at the end of 2019. This is a precipitous decline from an estimated population size of 409 whales just a year ago. Vessel strikes and entanglement in…

Ontario Takes an Axe to Environmental Protections

Expert BlogCanada, OntarioJennifer Skene
Ontario is rapidly ushering in an era of laissez-faire logging, ceding its forests, wildlife, and public health to the whims and interests of industry.

Food Systems Analyst

NRDC in ActionBaltimore, Nashville, Denver, Maryland, Tennessee, ColoradoJeff Turrentine
Andrea Spacht Collins is working to minimize food waste by changing the way we think about what we eat—and what we don’t eat, where it comes from, and where it ends up.

Urban Innovator

NRDC in ActionCharlotte, North Carolina, St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Paul, Minnesota, Austin, TexasKeith Mulvihill
Through her work in the buildings sector, Wendy Lee helps propel cities into a fairer and more energy-efficient future.

A Translator for the Climate Crisis, Grief Included

NRDC in ActionNew York City, New York, Birmingham, AlabamaKaren L. Smith-Janssen
Writer, editor, teacher, and podcast host Mary Annaïse Heglar uses the art of storytelling to help people feel less alone in facing the climate crisis—and to build the movement for climate justice.

Wilmington’s Battle With GenX, a Dangerous Teflon Chemical

DispatchNorth CarolinaJodi Helmer

A toxic chemical discovered in the drinking water system serving communities along North Carolina’s Cape Fear River raised the alarm about contamination from the nearby Chemours chemical plant. Although levels of GenX, used to make nonstick products, have receded, the…