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 plastic cup among a pile of wet leaves and branches on the ground

Single-Use Plastics 101

GuideUnited StatesCourtney Lindwall
Here’s everything you need to know about the most ubiquitous (and avoidable) kind of plastic waste: the kind made to be tossed in mere minutes.
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.

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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.

Wind Energy

GuideUnited StatesShelia Hu

The facts and advantages of wind energy—and why we’re turning to turbines to power our clean energy future.

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.

Beach Pollution 101

GuideUnited States, InternationalShelia Hu

Litter, sewage, plastic, and other pollutants do more than just ruin the beauty of the beach. They are closing down coastal areas, destroying marine life, and making people seriously sick.

Fossil Fuels: The Dirty Facts

GuideUnited States, InternationalMelissa Denchak
Mining, drilling, and burning dirty energy are harming the environment and our health. Here’s everything you need to know about fossil fuels, and why we need to embrace a clean energy future.

Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know

GuideFlintMelissa Denchak
After officials repeatedly dismissed claims that Flint’s water was making people sick, residents took action. Here’s how the lead contamination crisis unfolded—and what we can learn from it.

Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know

GuideUnited States, InternationalMelissa Denchak
Our rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and seas are drowning in chemicals, waste, plastic, and other pollutants. Here’s why―and what you can do to help.

Single-Use Plastics 101

GuideUnited StatesCourtney Lindwall
Here’s everything you need to know about the most ubiquitous (and avoidable) kind of plastic waste: the kind made to be tossed in mere minutes.

Biodiversity 101

GuideInternational, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

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

The Clean Air Act 101

GuideUnited StatesShelia Hu

Since its bipartisan beginnings, this bedrock law has helped keep our air clean, combat climate change, and protect public health.

Offshore Drilling 101

GuideAlaska, West, Louisiana, Georgia, North CarolinaShelia Hu
A look into how drilling for oil and gas in the oceans works—and why it’s time to make it history.

Advancing the Glasgow Declaration Accountability Framework

OverviewInternationalJennifer Skene

To achieve the international community’s 2030 forest protection commitments, NRDC is championing a framework for driving global, equitable action to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation.

Race to 100% Clean

OverviewUnited StatesSophia Ptacek, Amanda Levin
U.S. states, municipalities, utilities, and corporations have made significant progress toward a fossil-free future by advancing energy efficiency and clean energy. In fact, 1 in 3 people in the United States now live in a state or city transitioning to…

Reduce Mercury Pollution

OverviewUnited States, China, InternationalMarilyn Kunce, Susan Egan Keane, David Lennett
NRDC is working with global coalitions and innovative programs to reduce the use and trade of mercury and slash emissions of the toxic metal into our air and water.

Ocean Acidification Hot Spots

OverviewUnited States, International
Ocean acidification, in which atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater and creates an acid, poses a serious threat to the web of life underwater.

Encourage Climate-Resilient Communities

OverviewInternational, United StatesDr. Vijay Limaye, Dr. Kim Knowlton
Not everyone realizes that the events fueled by climate change are causing health problems, so we connect the dots and encourage governments to take action.

Revolution Now

OverviewUnited States
Clean, low-cost energy is transforming the U.S. economy.