News & Commentary

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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.

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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.

A New Pathway to a Western Grid

Expert BlogWest, Colorado, Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, WyomingKelsie Gomanie

Pathways Initiative approves two-step approach to create independent governance for a west-wide electricity market.

The U.K. Is Burning Canadian Forests for Fuel

Expert BlogCanada, InternationalCourtenay Lewis

Twenty-three environmental organizations stress that the U.K. government funding the incineration of imported Canadian wood pellets threatens climate progress.

Winter Storm Elliott Report Highlights the Risk of Natural Gas Failures

Expert BlogUnited States, East, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, TexasDana Ammann
PJM’s report on Winter Storm Elliott found that gas generators were responsible for 70 percent of forced outages during December 2022. Climate change will only intensify future severe weather. 

RGGI States Learning and Sharing On Climate and Equity

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.

Indigenous-led Collaborations Are Transforming Conservation

Expert BlogCanadaDr. Julee Boan
The pressure is immense and the clock is ticking to ensure the course correction needed to stave off the worst climate and biodiversity impacts predicted for our industrialized world. A new collective, called the Restore, Assert, Defend (or RAD) Network…

New Program Will Help Ensure Reliable Electricity in the West

Expert BlogCanada, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, WestKelsie Gomanie
The Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP) is designed to provide benefits for customers, utilities, and the environment.

The Race to Organize Energy Markets in the Western U.S. Is On

Expert BlogArizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, WyomingKelsie Gomanie
A western regional transmission organization would spur the development of clean electricity sources and lower costs for consumers.

Equitable Building Decarbonization Across the Country: 2022

Expert BlogCalifornia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, OregonCaroline Keicher, Joe O'Brien-Applegate
Policies and programs aimed at new construction and existing buildings continue to gain traction as communities and elected officials realize the feasibility and benefits of ambitious and equity-centered action.

A $3 Billion Milestone for the Western Grid

Expert BlogUnited States, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, WestKelsie Gomanie

After a year of record-breaking heat waves, drought, and flooding, add to that list some good news for the Western United States: The Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) is positioned to surpass $3 billion in cumulative benefits by the end…

Ian and Congressional Failure to Reform Flood Insurance

Expert BlogFloridaRob Moore

Hurricane Ian has cost the lives of at least 120 people as of this writing, displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes, and impacted over a million more people due to flooding, loss of power, water, or sewer…

Mutual Aid and Disaster Justice: “We Keep Us Safe”

ExplainerUnited States, Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Mississippi, FloridaNicole Greenfield
As climate-fueled disasters become more frequent—from Mississippi to Puerto Rico and beyond—relief efforts by communities, for communities, could become increasingly critical.

Honolulu Benchmarking Will Cut Costs, Save Energy and Water

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.

Canada’s Boreal Forest: Why It’s So Important

ExplainerCanada
Protecting the boreal is not only about saving trees and wildlife, says NRDC’s Jennifer Skene. It’s also about the people who’ve been living on the land for millennia and the urgent fight against climate change.