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 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.

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Causes and Effects of Lead in Water

GuideUnited States, Flint, Michigan, IllinoisKeith Mulvihill

How this harmful neurotoxin got into our taps and what it’ll take to get it out.

What Is Environmental Racism?

GuideUnited States, InternationalMaudlyne Ihejirika
This form of systemic racism disproportionately burdens communities of color.

Renewable Energy: The Clean Facts

GuideUnited StatesLora Shinn
Wind and solar are powering a clean energy revolution. Here’s what you need to know about renewables and how you can help make an impact at home.

Air Pollution: Everything You Need to Know

GuideUnited States, InternationalJillian Mackenzie, Jeff Turrentine
How smog, soot, greenhouse gases, and other top air pollutants are affecting the planet—and your health.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jackson Water Crisis

Fact SheetMississippi, JacksonSarah Tallman, Kimberly Leefatt
The drinking water system in Jackson, Mississippi, has suffered from serious safety and reliability problems for decades. Despite recent attention from federal officials, including a lawsuit filed against the city of Jackson in late 2022, the water system’s problems have…

Stories from the Frontlines of Global LNG Build-Out at COP28

OverviewInternational, United StatesMima Holt, Jamie Lee

NRDC invited key local partners from developing regions and grassroots leaders together to underscore the significant climate, health, and equity impacts of LNG infrastructure expansion. 

Connecting Communities and Science at American Geophysical Union 2020

ResourceKristi Pullen Fedinick, Meleah Geertsma, Marisa Guerrero, Yukyan Lam
The Union of Concerned Scientists and NRDC co-convened a panel to connect the latest research—especially on the disparate and cumulative environmental burdens affecting low-income communities and communities of color—to effective policymaking for environmental justice.

Losing Ground: Severe Repetitive Flooding in the United States

OverviewUnited StatesAnna Weber
There are many ways that repeatedly flooded homes can be made safer from flooding, but the federal government’s efforts are not keeping pace with increasing flood risk. The result is a steadily growing number of properties that flood over and…

A Pipe Dream or Climate Solution?

Issue BriefUnited StatesMerrian Borgeson
Biogas and synthetic gas, commonly referred to as “renewable natural gas,” are often not as climate-friendly as claimed, and burning fuels like methane still creates harmful air pollutants. We must be strategic about how we deploy them and keep our…

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.

NRDC Experts and Events at COP26

OverviewUnited States, International, Canada, IndiaManish Bapna, Sarah Dougherty, Brendan Guy, Carolina Herrera, Sameer Kwatra, Jennifer Skene, Lisa Speer, Anthony Swift, Charlotte Steiner, Jake Schmidt, Douglass Sims
NRDC joins the United Nations global climate talks to hold global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, drive commitments to green finance, and promote nature-based solutions.