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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A pipe sits atop dirt next to a building

Will Funds for Water Infrastructure Flow Fairly?

ReportUnited StatesBecky Hammer, Erik D. Olson
These report cards grade all 50 states on water funding equity.
A view of the cross-section of a cut water pipe

Getting the Lead Out: Removing Lead Pipes Would Yield Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in Health Benefits

Issue BriefUnited StatesErik D. Olson
Removing lead service lines could save the United States an estimated $786 billion from avoided health impacts over the next 35 years.
Bits of plastic waste float underwater

The Worst of the Worst: High-Priority Plastic Materials, Chemical Additives, and Products to Phase Out

Fact SheetUnited States, InternationalDr. Veena Singla

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Greenhouse Effect 101

GuideUnited States, InternationalMelissa Denchak
By increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, we’re amplifying the planet’s natural greenhouse effect and turning up the dial on global warming.

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.

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.

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.

Commercial Whaling 101

GuideInternationalLauren Evans

Despite an international ban on commercial whaling since 1986, the animals are still being hunted and killed across the world’s oceans, with devastating impacts on global populations.

What Are the Effects of Climate Change?

GuideUnited States, InternationalCourtney Lindwall

A rapidly warming planet poses an existential threat to all life on earth. Just how bad it gets depends on how quickly we act.

Flooding and Climate Change: Everything You Need to Know

GuideUnited StatesMelissa Denchak
A growing number of communities—both coastal and inland—are finding themselves underwater. Extreme weather, sea level rise, and other climate change impacts are increasingly to blame. Here’s a look at what links flooding and our warming world.

What Are the Solutions to Climate Change?

GuideUnited States, InternationalJeff Turrentine
Some solutions are big and will require billions in investment. Some are small and free. All are achievable.

Biodiversity 101

GuideInternational, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

How do we define and measure biodiversity—and just why is it so important?

Sailing to Nowhere: Liquefied Natural Gas Is Not an Effective Climate Strategy

ReportUnited StatesChristina Swanson, Amanda Levin, Amy Mall

Exporting liquefied natural gas would undercut the goal of holding warming at or below 1.5° Celsius and have devastating effects on frontline communities. The United States should instead prioritize clean energy investments, both at home and abroad.

Translating Joe Biden's Climate Vision into Action

OverviewUnited StatesJosh Axelrod, David Doniger, Brendan Guy, Allison Johnson, Gina McCarthy, Bobby McEnaney, Claire O'Connor, Erik D. Olson, Khalil Shahyd, Ann Shikany, Dr. Lisa Suatoni, Anthony Swift, Lauren Urbanek, Mae Wu, Ben Longstreth, Luke Tonachel, Melissa Lin Perrella
NRDC experts take a deep dive into President-elect Joe Biden’s key plans to address climate change—the strongest national climate agenda ever laid out by a U.S. president-elect.

Edwards Coal-Fired Plant Settlement

Legal filingsIllinois, PeoriaSelena Kyle, Jared Knicley, Alyssa Brown
In 2019, the court approved a settlement that required the E.D. Edwards plant to close and provides $8.6 million in funding for projects to benefit the Peoria region. Read more about these programs and grantees.

A Robust Infrastructure Plan for the 21st Century

Fact SheetUnited StatesStephanie Gidigbi Jenkins
To successfully move forward, America needs a robust infrastructure plan that transitions the nation to cleaner sources of energy, addresses the challenges from a changing climate on our communities, creates jobs, and redresses the negative legacy of past investments.