News & Commentary

Poll: People Want Action on Plastics for Health and Wildlife

April 15, 2024 Expert BlogInternational, Canada, United States, Ohio, PennsylvaniaDaniel Rosenberg

New poll results show overwhelming public support for government action to address the plastic crisis, including a strong global plastics treaty.

Farm-to-Glass Supports Organic Farming

November 16, 2023 Expert BlogWashington, D.C., Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Michigan, Maine, CaliforniaAllison Johnson

Cheers! NRDC and our partners toasted a good cause on Capitol Hill: growing organic!

Michigan Adopts Filter First Protections for Kids

October 10, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, MichiganCyndi Roper

Michigan lawmakers approve Filter First bills providing the nation’s strongest protections against lead in drinking water at schools and childcare centers.

Questions Answered on Canadian Wildfires—a Public Health Threat Linked to Climate Change

June 12, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, CanadaDr. Vijay Limaye

Here is some key information that may help us prepare for the future and address the fossil fuels at the root of the problem.

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.

EPA’s Chance Is NOW to Finally Fix the Broken Lead & Copper Rule

February 28, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, Michigan, InternationalErik D. Olson

Americans across political lines support action to fix lead in drinking water—and here’s how it can be done.

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.

EPA, Do the Right Thing on Truck Pollution

December 14, 2022 Expert BlogUnited States, Missouri, Kansas City (Missouri)Patricio Portillo

If the Biden administration is going to deliver on its pledges to address climate change and environmental justice, EPA must approve the most ambitious state and federal heavy-duty vehicle standards possible.

Environmental Injustice: Cumulative Impacts in Kansas City

September 21, 2022 Expert BlogKansas, Kansas City (Kansas), Kansas City (Missouri), MissouriDr. Veena Singla

The EPA is responsible for setting environmental regulations to limit the amount of pollution industrial facilities release. This approach has been ineffective in controlling exposures because they do not take into account the cumulative impacts or toxic air contaminants.

Court Finds Port of L.A. in Violation of California Environmental Law

July 8, 2022 Expert BlogLos Angeles, ChinaDavid Pettit

A judge has decided that the port put the profits of its tenant, China Shipping, above of the health of harbor workers and local residents.

MI’s Climate Plan Must Deliver Affordable, Efficient Homes

February 3, 2022 Expert BlogMichiganValeria Rincon, Sam Whillans, Laura Goldberg

The Michigan Healthy Climate Plan includes notable recommendations to reduce emissions but it simply does not go far enough in focus and ambition.

Divine Intervention Should Not Be Required for Safe Water

September 24, 2021 Expert BlogMichiganCyndi Roper

Benton Harbor has been in the news lately for its elevated lead levels in drinking water, but the problem has gone on for at least three years. Here is Rev. Edward Pinkney's take on the situation in the form of…

Celebrating Year One of the Food Matters Regional Initiative

August 30, 2021 Expert BlogChicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Madison, Ohio, Baltimore, Jersey City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, North Carolina, Memphis, OrlandoMadeline Keating, Darby Hoover

A year after the launch of the Food Matters Regional Initiative, we are pleased to report considerable progress and accomplishments from the 15 regional initiative participants.

NRDC Sets Region Specific Water Targets for Each Office

August 10, 2021 Expert BlogUnited States, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Bozeman, Beijing, San Francisco, Santa MonicaMaria McCain

NRDC has seen a steady decline in total water usage institution-wide and has taken steps to advance water stewardship.

China Accepts Kigali Amendment, Will Phase Down HFCs

June 22, 2021 Expert BlogChina, InternationalAlex Hillbrand, Mona Yew

China formally accepted the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol last week, the final step in bringing the world’s largest fluorochemical producer onboard with the global HFC phasedown. China’s ratification will be effective as of September 15th, 2021, making it…

Latin America at the Leaders Summit on Climate

April 23, 2021 Expert BlogArgentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, MexicoCarolina Herrera, Jessica Carey-Webb, Marilyn Kunce, Amanda Maxwell

The five Latin American countries that participated in the Leaders Summit on Climate – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico – displayed a broad range of ambition. Once again, some countries demonstrated their willingness to be climate action leaders while…

Crisis to Opportunity: China Moves Fast to Protect Wildlife

April 21, 2021 Expert BlogChinaNing (Lisa) Hua

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, China accelerated the pace of wildlife protection over the last year, which included the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress adopting a decision to ban the trade of wildlife as food and to…

A Huge Push to Remove Toxic Lead in School Drinking Water

April 6, 2021 Expert BlogWashington, D.C., Michigan, United StatesJoan Leary Matthews

President Biden has released his bold infrastructure package, which basically declares war on lead in drinking water, both in our homes and our schools.

Every State Should Have a Right to a Healthy Environment

March 29, 2021 Expert BlogNorth Carolina, Pennsylvania, Montana, Massachusetts, CaliforniaCorinne Bell

A few states currently have a constitutional right to a healthy environment and several more are working to enshrine such rights.

Proposed Settlement Aims to Clean Up Mercury in the Penobscot River Estuary

March 19, 2021 Expert BlogMaineNancy Marks

After two decades of litigation, a proposed consent decree from Maine People’s Alliance, NRDC, and Mallinckrodt US LLC could accelerate the recovery of Maine’s largest river.