News & Commentary

The Long, Long Battle for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

March 15, 2024 ExplainerAlaskaBrian Palmer, Nicole Greenfield

For decades, politicians have vacillated between protecting Alaska’s refuge as one of the last unspoiled places on earth and plundering it for oil.

Why the Willow Project Is a Bad Idea

November 13, 2023 Latest NewsAlaskaJeff Turrentine

The oil drilling proposal would be disastrous for Alaska and the planet (not to mention President Biden’s climate legacy). 

Mapping Urban Heat Islands Is Helping These Neighborhoods Adapt

August 1, 2023 DispatchRaleigh, North Carolina, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

The Urban Heat Island mapping campaign is the largest national effort of its kind to identify why one section of a city can feel so different from another on any given summer day.

A Climate Strategy for India Scales Up

May 22, 2023 NRDC in ActionIndiaJeff Turrentine

With the formation of its affiliate in New Delhi, NRDC rises to meet the sustainability challenges of the world's fastest-growing economy.

Ghost Pipelines: How Landowners Suffer, Long After a Project Gets Canceled

June 21, 2022 ExplainerUnited States, Virginia, Pennsylvania, NebraskaNicole Greenfield

The pipeline threat is gone, but the damage to their property and lives is already done.

The Biden Administration Cancels Its Offshore Drilling Plan for Alaska’s Cook Inlet—Let’s Keep It Off the Books

May 13, 2022 DispatchAlaskaSusan Cosier

The lease sale would have endangered Indigenous communities, threatened rare whales, added to the Far North’s climate crisis, and gambled with a 20 percent chance for a large oil spill.

A Turning Point in the Fight to Protect New Mexico’s Greater Chaco Region

February 1, 2022 DispatchNew MexicoKeith Mulvihill

The Biden administration’s proposal to prohibit new oil and gas leasing and drilling in the area comes after years of exploitation that’s had devastating health and cultural impacts on Indigenous communities.

When Extreme Heat Hits India’s Slums, These Women Cool Things Down—and Save Lives

November 16, 2021 DispatchIndiaNicole Greenfield

Whether facing heat waves, water scarcity, or COVID-19, women-led networks in Ahmedabad are working together to keep their families and neighbors safe.

Defenders of Homes, Hills, and Heritage Unite Against the Mountain Valley Pipeline

August 13, 2021 DispatchVirginia, West Virginia, North CarolinaNicole Greenfield

Meet five people who are fighting on the ground—from Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina—to stop the destructive fossil fuel project before it’s too late.

An Advocate for Building Equity into Michigan’s Climate Goals

August 4, 2021 NRDC in ActionMichiganBrian Palmer

NRDC’s Derrell Slaughter sees climate justice as one of the foremost civil rights issues of our time.

Nurses Wanted in a City Long Plagued by Coal Plant Pollution

June 29, 2021 DispatchPeoriaMaudlyne Ihejirika

Through efforts to train a more diverse pool of nurses and create family-sustaining careers, workforce leaders in Peoria, Illinois, are jump-starting their economy and addressing the inequities of the past.

The Unlikely Takedown of Keystone XL

June 29, 2021 NRDC in ActionNebraska, South Dakota, Canada, MontanaCourtney Lindwall

The notorious tar sands pipeline was a lightning rod in the fight against climate change and the seemingly unstoppable oil industry. NRDC advocates were part of a broad coalition that helped stop Keystone XL—for good.

A Hopeful Vision for the Future of Columbus and Some of Its Most Historic Neighborhoods

October 21, 2020 DispatchColumbusNicole Greenfield

Elijah Carter, a 31-year-old retail professional who recently bought and made energy-efficient upgrades to his first home, discusses the importance of energy efficiency education in cities like his native Columbus, Ohio.

After the Local Coal Mine Shuts Down, These Navajo and Hopi Communities Seek a Just Transition

October 20, 2020 DispatchArizonaTim Vanderpool

A year after the Kayenta Mine was closed, both the energy company behind it and the federal government overseeing it have done little to restore the lands they’ve trampled.

The Big Muddy River’s Long, Turbulent Relationship with Coal

August 14, 2020 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

As a proposal threatens to dump mining waste into a Mississippi River tributary, an Illinois community reassesses its coal industry ties.

Urban Innovator

June 30, 2020 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.

Expand the DAPL? Only Illinois Stands in the Way

May 5, 2020 DispatchIllinois, North Dakota, South DakotaSusan Cosier

Environmental advocates are fighting a proposal to double the amount of crude oil flowing through the pipeline.

The Revitalization of This Former Coal Town Starts Now

April 1, 2020 NRDC in ActionPeoria, IllinoisNicole Greenfield

Following a landmark settlement agreement, $8.6 million will be invested back into projects that uplift the community of Peoria, Illinois, where a dirty coal plant is scheduled to close by the end of 2022.

This Is What a Just Transition Looks Like

March 2, 2020 ExplainerUnited States, Peoria, IllinoisBrian Palmer

To help a community leave its dirty energy economy behind, advocates must fight for local representation, equity, and retraining that prepares workers for high-quality jobs.

Can a New Tax on Uber and Lyft Rides in Chicago Change Commuting Habits?

February 12, 2020 DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier

A surcharge on trips taken with ride-hailing services could reduce traffic, cut emissions, and help fund much-needed public transit improvements on the South and West Sides of the city.