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. 

Skip carousel items
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
Two workers installing a battery in a vehicle in an assembly plant

Building Batteries Better: Doing the Best With Less

ReportUnited StatesJordan Brinn
Reducing the amount of mining needed through improvements in battery technology, second-life applications for vehicle batteries, and better recycling is key to reducing harms caused from battery supply chains.

Viewing 41 - 60 of 115

Active filters:

Remove all filters

Filter Results

Unintentional Partner: How the United States Helps the Illegal Shark Fin Market

ReportUnited StatesElizabeth Murdock, Vanessa Villanueva
In recent decades, shark populations have suffered steep declines, due primarily to the lucrative market for shark fins, both legal and illegal. NRDC found that the United States plays a substantial, unrecognized role in facilitating the unsustainable international shark fin…

A Better Future Through Protecting America’s Ocean Habitats

Fact SheetUnited StatesAlison Chase
Overexploitation and pollution has stressed our ocean, and acidification and temperature rises are harming marine life and impacting all of us who rely on the ocean for food, jobs, and recreation. We must act now to protect important ocean habitats.

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.

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…

Incentive Schemes for Promoting Green Shipping

Issue paperInternational, United States
Recognizing ships as major sources of air pollution, ports in various countries around the world have introduced incentive programs to encourage enhanced environmental performance from ships calling at their ports, beyond what is required by legislation and international regulations.

Climate Change Threatens Health

OverviewUnited States, InternationalDr. Kim Knowlton
Climate change is one of the most serious public health threats facing the nation, but few people are aware of how it can affect them. Children, the elderly, and communities living in poverty are among the most vulnerable.

The Clean Power Plan and State Pathways to Cutting Carbon Pollution

Issue BriefUnited States, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, VirginiaAriana Gonzalez, Ashok Gupta, Noah Long, Luis Martinez, Katharine McCormick, Walton Shepherd, Dylan Sullivan, Mark Szybist, Samantha Williams, Starla Yeh