Data, Reports & Resources

NRDC is a leader and trusted source in environmental policy and research. 

From reports to issue briefs, we ensure accountability through peer review led by our Science Office, which provides data and scientific analysis that help shape and guide NRDC’s policies and positions. We also offer a range of other resources, such as 101 guides and consumer-focused scorecards to increase access to knowledge about how everyone can be a catalyst for change. 

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Keystone Species 101

GuideInternational, United StatesMelissa Denchak
From coastal tide pools and rolling prairies to African savanna and arctic terrain, the earth is home to myriad ecosystems, each one regulated by interlinking parts, including the creatures that call them home.

Connectivity and Conservation: Grizzly Bears in the Lower 48

OverviewUnited States, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
These interactive maps discuss the issue of grizzly bear conservation and present potential corridors that could help reconnect the Yellowstone grizzlies with populations to the north.

Wildlife Trade 101

GuideInternational, United StatesChia-Yi Hou

Wildlife trade is big business, with wild plants, animals, and products made from them sold around the globe, legally and illegally. It’s also a leading cause of the planet’s accelerating biodiversity crisis and resultant ecosystem collapse.

Bioenergy 101

GuideInternational, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

Some people tout bioenergy as a solution to our climate crisis. But take a closer look, and this plant and animal power doesn’t actually live up to its promise.

Offshore Oil Revenue: A Bad Deal for Virginia

Fact SheetUnited States, VirginiaJacob Eisenberg
Offshore oil and gas drilling is an inherently dirty, dangerous business that can cause oil spills along with air and water pollution—all of which would threaten the $2.7 billion generated annually in the state by industries that rely on clean…

Fracking 101

GuideTexas, Pennsylvania, New York, California, North Dakota, FloridaMelissa Denchak
Hydraulic fracturing has upended the global energy landscape and made fossil fuels big business in the United States. Mounting evidence shows that it poses serious threats to our health, environment, and climate future. Here’s a look at the fracking boom…

California’s Marine Protected Areas: Underwater Refuges Safeguard Our Unique Ocean Life

Fact SheetUnited States, CaliforniaVanessa Villanueva
California’s network of marine protected areas is hailed as a global model. However, ongoing investments in research and monitoring, outreach and education, policy and permitting, and, importantly, enforcement are required to ensure that these underwater refuges will benefit our environment…

Transforming Local Policies to Achieve Environmental Justice

Fact SheetUnited StatesMeleah Geertsma
Across the country, low income communities and communities of color experience disproportionate burdens from environmental hazards, unhealthy land uses, historical traumas, and other sociodemographic stressors. However, community advocates and their allies are fighting back by transforming zoning and local land-use…

Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands

OverviewMexico, United States, Canada
The largest desert in North America is home to biodiverse grasslands that store large amounts of carbon and contribute to the livelihood of millions of people. Yet, these grasslands are highly threatened by human activity and a changing climate.

Cutting It Close: How Unsustainable Logging in Canada’s Boreal Forest Threatens Indigenous Rights, Wildlife, and the Global Climate

ReportCanadaJennifer Skene, Josh Axelrod, Anthony Swift, Courtenay Lewis, Shelley Vinyard
Runaway logging in the globally-important forest violates the rights of Indigenous Peoples, devastates wildlife, and jeopardizes drinking water sources. It also puts the entire world at risk by releasing more than 26 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the…

Permafrost: Everything You Need to Know

GuideArcticMelissa Denchak

The “permanently” frozen earth at our planet’s poles and in other cold climes is thawing, with big consequences to our climate, ecosystems, and health.

G7 Fossil Fuel Subsidy Scorecard

ReportInternational, United StatesHan Chen
It’s time for the G7 to establish systems for holding themselves accountable to eliminating fossil fuel subsidies.

Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Economics and Manufacturing Jobs

ReportEast
A new expert analysis finds that there is no support for claims that a new natural gas pipeline will save consumers money, is needed to meet new natural gas demand, or will lead to additional opportunities for new manufacturing jobs.