News & Commentary

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Explainer

Get a breakdown of complex climate, public health, nature, and equity topics to inform your activism.

Dispatch

Read about activists tackling climate justice and other environmental causes in their communities and beyond.

Perspectives

Discover intersectional viewpoints from activists and artists on the environmental issues of the moment.

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Find out how NRDC protects people and the planet by learning about some of our key fights.

Expert Blogs

Hear from our policy advocates, scientists, and litigators about the challenges and solutions for building a healthier and more just world.

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Winter Storm Elliott Report Highlights the Risk of Natural Gas Failures

Expert BlogUnited States, East, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, TexasDana Ammann
PJM’s report on Winter Storm Elliott found that gas generators were responsible for 70 percent of forced outages during December 2022. Climate change will only intensify future severe weather. 

Idaho Approves Statewide Wolf Reduction Plan

Expert BlogIdaho, United StatesDr. Jennifer Sherry

Idaho advances sweeping wolf reduction plan that is out of synch with modern science, the views of the public, and the complex reality of the environment.

Public Land Grab: Senate Bill Gifts Miners Pass to Pollute

Expert BlogWest, Nevada, Idaho, United StatesJosh Axelrod
Senators Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) and Jim Risch (R-ID) have introduced legislation that makes it easier for mining companies and others to acquire rights to federal land and to be able to use them as dumping grounds and worse. The legislation…

Rate Increases and Blackouts: Duke Energy’s Strategy for 2023

Expert BlogNorth Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, EastLuis Martinez
Duke failed to keep the lights on last December, but it is now pursuing enormous rate increases of more than 30 percent to help pay for fossil fuels and huge executive salary raises.

One Year Since Court Restored ESA Protections for Wolves

Expert BlogCalifornia, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, WisconsinDr. Jennifer Sherry
Without these protections, wolf recovery could be stopped dead in its tracks—or even reversed—as we have seen happen when states with authority over wolf management work to cut populations down through aggressive measures.

USFWS Agrees: Threats to N. Rockies Wolves Deserve Attention

Expert BlogWest, Montana, IdahoAmy McNamara, Dr. Jennifer Sherry

The future of the Northern Rockies wolves remains highly uncertain. USFWS needs to act quickly to prevent a reversal of one of its greatest conservation success stories.

NRDC Sets Region Specific Water Targets for Each Office

Expert BlogUnited States, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Bozeman, Beijing, San Francisco, Santa MonicaMaria McCain

NRDC has seen a steady decline in total water usage institution-wide and has taken steps to advance water stewardship.

Northern Rockies Wolves Need Federal Action

Expert BlogIdaho, MontanaDr. Jennifer Sherry

A chorus of diverse voices has united with a clear message: The federal government needs to restore protections before decades of investments and hard-earned conservation progress are lost.

Communities to Coal Plants: Clean Up Your Mess Before You Go!

DispatchTennesseeAustyn Gaffney
Distrust in the TVA runs deep in eastern Tennessee, and as the utility shutters two power plants—Bull Run and Kingston—local activists fear it will close up shop without safely containing its leaky pits of toxic sludge and ash.

Six of the Worst States to Be a Wolf

Expert BlogIdaho, Utah, Montana, Wisconsin, South Dakota, WyomingDr. Jennifer Sherry

To get on a better track towards national recovery, wolves will need proactive and science-driven action by the federal government.

These Prehistoric Fish Are Making a Slow Comeback in the Midwest

DispatchWisconsin, MichiganSusan Cosier
Conservationists, fishers, and fans of the iconic lake sturgeon have seen some success in their efforts to revive the population, including through hand-rearing and releasing the babies—and yes, spearing the big ones.

Will China Save the Planet?

NRDC in ActionBeijing, ChinaNicole Greenfield
Barbara Finamore, NRDC’s senior strategic director for Asia, witnessed the birth of China’s clean energy movement. Her new book considers its future.

Keeping a Close Watch on China’s Climate Transition

NRDC in ActionBeijing, Shanghai, ChinaJeff Turrentine
JingJing Qian, senior strategic advisor for NRDC’s China program, is bearing witness to some truly remarkable changes taking place in her home country. She’s also helping to make those changes happen.

The Petcoke Problem: Where to Store the Risky Tar Sands Refining By-Product

ExplainerUnited States, Canada, Chicago, Detroit, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Virginia
Petroleum coke, typically stored outdoors in big open piles, can blow right into nearby homes and cause serious health problems. Unsurprisingly, communities are fighting Big Oil to keep this noxious material out of their backyards.