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 Desire to Stop Canadian Tar Sands Transcends Borders

NRDC in ActionAlberta, Canada, Nebraska, Chicago, IllinoisNicole Greenfield
For more than a decade, NRDC has worked with indigenous communities in Alberta, U.S.-based grassroots groups, and intergovernmental bodies to halt the expansion of dirty tar sands oil.

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 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.

Cowboying Up

NRDC in ActionUtahJeff Turrentine
NRDC’s Bobby McEnaney wrangles ranchers, energy experts, and environmentalists to protect public lands while expanding clean energy.

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?

Save the Sage Grouse, Save the West

NRDC in ActionMontana, WyomingVirginia Sole-Smith
Why our success in saving the greater sage grouse is key to preserving millions of acres of habitat and hundreds of other species across the American West.

No Photos, Please

DispatchWyomingAlisa Opar
New Wyoming laws stifle freedom of speech and make citizen science illegal.

6 Cities That Are Ready for Climate Change

ExplainerNew York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Portland (Oregon), San AntonioKim Castleberry
By embracing green infrastructure, these urban areas have a solid defense against increased drought or flood.

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.