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.

California’s Climate Whiplash

ExplainerCaliforniaNicole Greenfield
The state broke snowfall records after three of its driest years ever. Now floods wreak havoc. These swings are the new normal—and they’re very hard to manage.

The Chlorpyrifos Ban Is a Win for Science—and Children

NRDC in ActionCaliforniaNicole Greenfield
NRDC advocates and our partners spent decades fighting against a highly toxic pesticide that harms kids, farmworkers, and their families. In August, the EPA finally banned it.

The Clean Energy Expert Bringing Black Voices to the Table

NRDC in ActionCaliforniaRasheena Fountain
As NRDC’s California state lead for clean energy and equity, Alexis Cureton is working to ensure that communities of color help shape energy policy, both inside and outside of the energy sector.

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.

The Revitalization of This Former Coal Town Starts Now

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.

The City Insider Proving that Mayors Can Lead on Climate

NRDC in ActionChicagoNicole Greenfield
Chris Wheat, who helped make Chicago a greener place from inside its city hall, is now helping empower city governments across the country to realize their many climate ambitions.

Defender of Energy Efficiency—and Equity

NRDC in ActionGeorgia, Detroit, Michigan, Baltimore, Maryland, Norfolk, VirginiaKeith Mulvihill
Dawone Robinson, regional director of NRDC’s Energy Efficiency for All Project, works to create opportunities for low-income communities of color to save energy and money.

Justice Warrior on the Affordable Energy Front

NRDC in ActionVirginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New YorkKaren L. Smith-Janssen
Dawone Robinson is righting the inequities that low-income communities of color face in accessing the benefits of energy efficiency—like more comfortable homes and lower energy bills, for starters.

The Rise of Chile’s River Protectors

NRDC in ActionChileNicole Greenfield
For decades, NRDC has worked alongside Chileans who are fighting to save Patagonia’s wildest rivers from being yoked by massive hydroelectric dams.

Saving Science in the Age of Trump

NRDC in ActionWashington, D.C., CaliforniaNicole Greenfield
The current administration’s suppression of data and information is unprecedented. But so are NRDC’s efforts to combat it.

Why Women Rule NRDC’s Science Center

NRDC in ActionSan Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York City, Ahmedabad, India, United StatesJenny Shalant
And why female leaders tend to be more attuned to issues of environmental equity.

This Is How We Stand Up to Trump

NRDC in ActionUnited States, Washington, D.C., Utah, Michigan, CaliforniaNicole Greenfield
Meet a handful of the NRDC staffers who resisted Trump’s attacks and defended our environment in 2017—and who won’t stop fighting anytime soon.

The Pesticide in Your Crisper Drawer

ExplainerUnited States, CaliforniaNicole Greenfield
Shown to be toxic to kids, chlorpyrifos is nevertheless still being sprayed on crops across the country—and making its way into our bodies. So why has the EPA refused to ban it?

Trashing the Gregory Canyon Landfill

NRDC in ActionSan Diego, CaliforniaMelissa Denchak
The California garbage dump project would have desecrated sacred tribal lands, destroyed vital wildlife habitat, and put local waters at risk.

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.

Our Favorite National Parks

NRDC in ActionColorado, California, Minnesota, Alaska, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Arizona, Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, Tennessee
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, NRDC’s very own wilderness fanatics share their most treasured park memories.

NRDC's Commitment to Green Starts with Its Offices

NRDC in ActionNew York City, Chicago, Santa Monica, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, BeijingMelissa Denchak
Each one of our six workplaces in the United States and China is a model of earth-friendly design.