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.

The Petcoke Problem: Where to Store the Risky Tar Sands Refining By-Product

ExplainerUnited States, Canada, Chicago, Detroit, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Virginia
Petroleum coke, typically stored outdoors in big open piles, can blow right into nearby homes and cause serious health problems. Unsurprisingly, communities are fighting Big Oil to keep this noxious material out of their backyards.

What It Took to Create the Atlantic’s First Marine National Monument

NRDC in ActionConnecticut, Massachusetts, United StatesMelissa Denchak
After years of work by NRDC and its partners, about 5,000 square miles of ocean—with massive canyons, majestic underwater mountains, and more than 1,000 species—have received permanent protection.

Healing the Anacostia's Troubled Waters

NRDC in ActionWashington, D.C., MarylandJeff Turrentine
After two centuries of neglect, NRDC is helping revitalize Washington, D.C.'s forgotten river.

Life on the Mississippi, Now

DispatchMissouri, Illinois, MidwestBarry Yeoman
We've spent billions of dollars on dikes, locks, and levees in a vain attempt to subdue what Mark Twain called "that lawless stream." Is it time to let the river have its way?

Our Man in Chicago

NRDC in ActionChicago, MidwestEmily Voigt
Henry Henderson knows that achieving energy independence and creating new jobs go hand-in-hand.

All’s Not Well

Latest NewsNorth DakotaSusan Cosier
North Dakota’s oil and gas boom is scaring away grassland birds.

Ocean Defender

NRDC in ActionLouisiana, Massachusetts, United StatesAdam Spangler
On daytime TV, in film, and on Capitol Hill, scientist Lisa Suatoni opens people's eyes to the plight of the seas.

The Great Boto Botch Job

Latest NewsBrazilJason Bittel
How a brilliant marketing move led to the slaughter of thousands of pink river dolphins.

Spreading Their Wings

DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier
Butterflies bred in a Chicago lab are fluttering their way back to Illinois swamps.

Blame It on the Rain

DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier
Chicago’s enormous drainage system will expand this summer, but it won’t be enough to handle climate change.

A Carbon Sink, Sinking

Latest NewsBrazilBrian Palmer
A new study suggests excess carbon dioxide is shrinking the Amazon.

The Call of the Bugle

DispatchKentucky, WisconsinSusan Cosier
This spring elk from Kentucky will be migrating (by truck) to Wisconsin.