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A brightly colored illustration showing a green hydrogen hub. A container ship on a waterway and a hydrogen production and storage facility are in the foreground, a solar panel array and wind turbines are in the mid-ground, and a city and sunset sky are in the distance.

Can Hydrogen Help Combat the Climate Crisis?

ExplainerUnited StatesSusan Cosier
Hydrogen hubs across the country seek to fuel high-emission industries with cleaner energy.
Aerial view of the National Petroleum Reserve in northwestern Alaska

The Biden Administration Protects Millions of Acres of Arctic Alaska

Latest NewsAlaskaJenny Shalant
The new Special Areas Rule in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska could boost biodiversity and empower Indigenous Peoples to defend the lands they’ve relied on for generations.
Two adults and a child walk along a sandy shoreline

“Forever Chemicals” Called PFAS Show Up in Your Food, Clothes, and Home

ExplainerUnited StatesMolly M. Ginty, Courtney Lindwall
These toxic chemicals are so common in consumer products and manufacturing that they’re everywhere—including inside our bodies.

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New Program Will Help Ensure Reliable Electricity in the West

Expert BlogCanada, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, WestKelsie Gomanie
The Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP) is designed to provide benefits for customers, utilities, and the environment.

A $3 Billion Milestone for the Western Grid

Expert BlogUnited States, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, WestKelsie Gomanie

After a year of record-breaking heat waves, drought, and flooding, add to that list some good news for the Western United States: The Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) is positioned to surpass $3 billion in cumulative benefits by the end…

Time to Fast-Track Africa’s Clean & Equitable Energy Future

Expert BlogInternational, AfricaShruti Shukla

The Biden administration must prioritize – at COP27 and beyond – providing the necessary tools for Africa to equitably decarbonize and sustain its economic potential in the face of rising climate impacts. At COP27 and beyond, leaders need to show…

Washington on the Verge of “Cleanest Homes in the Nation”

Expert BlogWashingtonAlejandra Mejia Cunningham

The Washington State Building Code Council is poised to extend requirements that all new residential buildings must use high efficiency space and water heating equipment that can run on 100% clean power.

Environmental Injustice: Cumulative Impacts in Kansas City

Expert BlogKansas, Kansas City (Kansas), Kansas City (Missouri), MissouriDr. Veena Singla

The EPA is responsible for setting environmental regulations to limit the amount of pollution industrial facilities release. This approach has been ineffective in controlling exposures because they do not take into account the cumulative impacts or toxic air contaminants.

States Commit to Clean and Healthy New Buildings

Expert BlogWashington, ColoradoAlejandra Mejia Cunningham
These are two states that have recently felt the devastating consequences of the climate crisis and are now taking action to ensure their homes and buildings stop relying on polluting fossil fuels quickly as possible.

Western Climate Initiative: OR & WA Add Caps to CA's AB32

Expert BlogCalifornia, Oregon, Washington, WestRalph Cavanagh
In 2021, fifteen years after California made climate history by becoming the first US state to adopt an economy-wide carbon emissions cap, Oregon and Washington completed a West Coast hat trick by becoming the second and third. Well, almost.

Decarbonized Buildings & Vehicles Create Good Missouri Jobs

Expert BlogMissouriGabrielle Habeeb, Ashok Gupta

Eliminating carbon emissions from our building and transportation sectors will be critical to maintaining a healthy and livable climate. Decarbonizing these sectors is putting Missourians to work while investing in a cleaner, more climate resilient future.

How Cities Are Centering Equity in Benchmarking Policies

Expert BlogDenver, Colorado, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Seattle, WashingtonCaroline Keicher
A new resource from the City Energy Project—Incorporating Equity into Energy Benchmarking Requirements: Guidance for Policy and Program Practitioners—helps cities understand the opportunity to leverage benchmarking and transparency policies to address racial and social equity.

Stressed by Heat, Farmworkers Deserve Federal Protections

Expert BlogCalifornia, Washington, MinnesotaTeniope Adewumi-Gunn
Unprotected from many basic workplace rights and in the face of a growing climate crisis that threatens their well-being, farmworkers deserve federal safeguards from extreme heat and its dangerous effects.

MISO and SPP Can Benefit from a More Connected Grid

Expert BlogTexas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas, MissouriToba Pearlman

Electric grids across the Midwest, South, and in Texas failed a key resilience test during last month’s winter storm, and one key conclusion is clear: The grids connected via transmission lines fared significantly better than those isolated and on their…

Seattle Gets Most Fossil Fuels Out of New Large Buildings

Expert BlogUnited States, Washington, SeattleElizabeth Stampe

Seattle’s City Council just voted unanimously to pass strong updates to the city’s building energy code that will significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels in new buildings.

Cities Are Leading the Way: 2020 Wins & Look Ahead

Expert BlogUnited States, Charlotte, Honolulu, Pittsburgh, St. LouisJay Orfield, Kimi Narita
Cities made tremendous progress in their climate challenge goals throughout a difficult 2020. Now, cities are eyeing all that is possible in the new year.

A Catalyst for the Midwest’s Clean Energy Transition

NRDC in ActionKansas City (Kansas), St. Louis, Missouri, New York CityBrian Palmer
Ashok Gupta spent decades cleaning up New York’s grid and reducing its reliance on dirty fuels. Now he’s working to bring the clean energy future to the Midwest.

St. Louis Building Code Update: Raising the Roof (Floor)

Expert BlogMissouriKatharine McCormick

St. Louis adopted the 2018 IECC, or International Energy Conservation Code, a model code that creates a floor for energy performance in new buildings. Because the IECC update addresses a wide range of energy uses in both commercial and residential…