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Expert Blogs

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Unveiling Big Oil's Campaign of Lies

Expert BlogUnited States, Washington, D.C.Zanagee Artis

An explosive hearing held by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget has unveiled more details of Big Oil’s campaign to block climate action.

Driving Ambition, Action, and Equity at COP28: Part 1

Expert BlogWashington, D.C.Jake Schmidt, Brendan Guy, Joe Thwaites, Jennifer Skene
World leaders in Dubai sent a clear signal: the end of the fossil fuel era has begun, and the world is rapidly transitioning to a clean energy economy. This helps put the world on a firmer pathway in this decisive…

Biggest Grid Operator Can Curb Carbon and Keep Lights On

Expert BlogWashington, D.C.Amanda Levin
A new analysis finds that the nation’s largest grid operator, PJM, can keep our air conditioner and heaters running while meeting EPA’s power plant carbon pollution standards – even during the hottest and coldest weeks. What’s more, they can do…

Unrealistic Assumptions Yield Unrealistic Results

Expert BlogWashington, D.C.Amanda Levin
A new analysis from the EFI Foundation, examining the Environmental Protection Agency’s carbon standards for power plants, ignores a key aspect of the rule: flexibility. EPA’s proposed standards are centered on flexibility, offering states and power plant multiple tools and…

Walking the Talk: How Will Canada Halt and Reverse Biodiversity Loss?

Expert BlogCanadaDr. Julee Boan
NRDC is working with Canadian and international environmental non-governmental organizations to provide recommendations for how Canada can develop a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan that aligns with its commitments to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

Strengthen Power Plant Carbon Standards for Greater Climate Benefit

Expert BlogWashington, D.C.Amanda Levin, Sophia Ahmed
Power plants have operated without accountability for their carbon emissions for too long. The proposal represents a good first step, however, the EPA should seize the opportunity to strengthen the standards in both scope and speed. This approach will help…

Western Electricity Grid Is Entering Its Day-Ahead Market Era

Expert BlogWest, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, WashingtonKelsie Gomanie

NRDC is working with stakeholders to safeguard consumer interests and environmental protections as utilities from California to the Great Plains weigh proposals to share energy resources through an organized market.

Six Colorado Basin States Lay Down a Marker for California

Expert BlogArizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, WestEd Osann
The "Consensus Based Modeling Alternative" is a positive development in addressing the current water emergency. It’s unfortunate that California did not join in this recommendation.

Delaware River Commission Further Guards Basin from Fracking

Expert BlogDelaware, New Jersey, New York, PennsylvaniaSahana Rao
The Delaware River Basin Commission has moved to further protect the 13,579 square-mile watershed by finalizing new rules that, among other things, ban the discharge of fracking wastewater.

Preserving Oregon's Economy-wide Cap on Carbon Emissions

Expert BlogOregon, California, WestRalph Cavanagh

Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission adopted the second state-level economy-wide carbon cap in the country (in December 2021), after California’s. The resulting Climate Protection Program (CPP) relies on the state’s sovereign authority to regulate environmental hazards, and on supporting authority under…

Lithium Mining Must Not Dry Up the Atacama Desert

Expert BlogChileAmanda Maxwell, James Blair

Our report offers eight recommendations for communities, governments, and the private sector throughout the lithium-ion battery supply chain to avoid further damage to this unique area and the people who live there.