News & Commentary

Closing the Gap to Protect Illinois Wetlands

April 15, 2024 Expert BlogIllinoisBecky Hammer

A bill to protect Illinois’ remaining wetlands is moving forward in the state legislature, seeking to close a regulatory gap created by the Supreme Court.

Farm-to-Glass Supports Organic Farming

November 16, 2023 Expert BlogWashington, D.C., Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Michigan, Maine, CaliforniaAllison Johnson

Cheers! NRDC and our partners toasted a good cause on Capitol Hill: growing organic!

One Year Since Court Restored ESA Protections for Wolves

February 10, 2023 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.

Unprecedented Rain Highlights Deep Inequities in Centreville

July 28, 2022 Expert BlogIllinoisNatalia Ospina, Meleah Geertsma

Immediate and comprehensive action must be taken by government at all levels to address the flooding and sewage crises.

One Year Later and Still Waiting for Change

June 2, 2022 Expert BlogIllinoisNatalia Ospina, Meleah Geertsma

In Centreville, Illinois, a majority-Black community has been left waiting for change.

Pristine Prairie, Home to Endangered Bee, May Be Destroyed

October 14, 2021 Expert BlogIllinoisLucas Rhoads

An airport expansion threatens to wipe out a population of the once-common, now endangered, rusty patched bumble bee. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's failure to protect the bee's habitat is partly to blame.

Meet the Chicagoan Determined to Break Down Barriers to Outdoor Inclusion for Latino People Like Him

August 31, 2021 DispatchChicagoKyler Sumter

Southeast Sider Luis Cabrales is fighting to deconstruct colonial thinking about nature and empower other Latino youth to work in conservation.

NRDC Sets Region Specific Water Targets for Each Office

August 10, 2021 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.

The Rubber Stamp Allowing Pipelines to Pollute Clean Water

June 21, 2021 Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, MichiganAmy Mall

PeoriaCorps Green Infrastructure Training Increases Stipend

June 7, 2021 Expert BlogPeoria, IllinoisAlyssa Brown, Jared Knicley

This is the fourth in a series of blogs celebrating the grant projects funded through our Clean Air Act settlement with the owners of the E.D. Edwards coal-fired power plant outside Peoria, Illinois. The settlement provides for the plant to…

Latin America at the Leaders Summit on Climate

April 23, 2021 Expert BlogArgentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, MexicoCarolina Herrera, Jessica Carey-Webb, Marilyn Kunce, Amanda Maxwell

The five Latin American countries that participated in the Leaders Summit on Climate – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico – displayed a broad range of ambition. Once again, some countries demonstrated their willingness to be climate action leaders while…

US Climate Finance Plan Restricts Fossil Fuel Finance

April 23, 2021 Expert BlogUnited States, BrazilJake Schmidt, Han Chen

This is a clear signal the United States will move away from financing coal, oil and gas projects overseas. Now is the time to make sure the details deliver on that necessary drive to urgently shift public financing from dirty…

Brazil’s Bolsonaro Shows Little Progress at Climate Summit

April 23, 2021 Expert BlogBrazilJessica Carey-Webb

Brazil, home to some of the most globally important ecosystems, failed to demonstrate leadership and doubled down on weak goals during the Leaders Climate Summit.

Chicago, a “Sweet Home” for an Endangered Bee?

March 29, 2021 Expert BlogChicago, IllinoisDaniel Raichel

The rusty patched bumblebee's appearance in Chicago underscores how one patch of native habitat can be meaningful, but what’s most needed is a network of interconnected habitat so that the bee’s populations can recover and once again thrive.

A New Agenda for Climate Giants of the Western Hemisphere

December 2, 2020 Expert BlogBrazilJessica Carey-Webb

Opportunities to catalyze Brazil’s low-carbon development.

The Big Muddy River’s Long, Turbulent Relationship with Coal

August 14, 2020 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

As a proposal threatens to dump mining waste into a Mississippi River tributary, an Illinois community reassesses its coal industry ties.

These Prehistoric Fish Are Making a Slow Comeback in the Midwest

January 23, 2020 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.

Ten Environmental Stories to Mark a Decade in Latin America

December 20, 2019 Expert BlogInternational, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, BrazilAmanda Maxwell, Carolina Herrera, Jessica Carey-Webb, Marilyn Kunce

The Latin America team at NRDC reflects on the incredible environmental milestones we've witnessed in our work, and beyond.

As the Amazon Burns, Jaguars Burn With It

October 1, 2019 DispatchBrazilJason Bittel

How Brazil’s blazes are devastating for these big cats—and for so, so, so much more.

The Complicated Patchwork of Amazonia

September 27, 2019 Expert BlogBrazilJessica Carey-Webb

The Amazon is a complex and ever-evolving region that contains extremely important natural and cultural wealth that is worth conserving.