News & Commentary

The Long, Long Battle for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

March 15, 2024 ExplainerAlaskaBrian Palmer, Nicole Greenfield

For decades, politicians have vacillated between protecting Alaska’s refuge as one of the last unspoiled places on earth and plundering it for oil.

Climate Week 2023: Indigenous Communities March with Determination

December 12, 2023 Expert BlogNew York CityClaudia Blanco Nuñez

The fight against environmental harm, economic dependence, and negative health impacts from fossil fuel development on Indigenous land is a centuries-long tale.

South Fork Wind Is Also a Victory for Whales

December 7, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, New YorkDr. Francine Kershaw

The first U.S. utility-scale offshore wind project turns on the lights—and was built with strong protections in place for endangered whales.

How Neonics Can Harm Soil Health and Soil Biodiversity

December 5, 2023 Expert BlogNew YorkDr. Daniel Rath, Daniel Raichel

This World Soil Day, let's acknowledge the effects that neonic pesticides can have on soil health and biodiversity, and the farms that depend on them.

Why the Willow Project Is a Bad Idea

November 13, 2023 Latest NewsAlaskaJeff Turrentine

The oil drilling proposal would be disastrous for Alaska and the planet (not to mention President Biden’s climate legacy). 

Taxpayers Still on Hook for Oil and Gas Clean-up, Despite New Rule

September 25, 2023 Expert BlogTexas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, AlaskaRebecca Ramirez

BOEM's proposed rule falls short in requiring oil and gas companies to demonstrate they are financially able to fully remove and clean up platforms & pipelines.

Leaders Call for Forest Accountability in Climate Week Event

September 22, 2023 Expert BlogNew YorkJennifer Skene

Leading voices call for global accountability on protecting the world's climate-critical forests in NRDC's Climate Week panel event. 

On International Day of Forests, the Global North Must Show Leadership

March 21, 2023 Expert BlogInternational, Canada, United States, AlaskaElly Pepper, Carolyn Ramírez

On International Day of Forests, the Global North must show leadership on forest protection and acknowledge its own role in forest loss.

Alaska’s Tongass National Forest Gets the Protections It Deserves

February 17, 2023 NRDC in ActionAlaskaCourtney Lindwall

After a decades-long fight, the newly reinstated Roadless Rule will safeguard these wildlands from road construction and logging.

Crushing Alaska’s Pebble Mine

February 13, 2023 NRDC in ActionAlaskaNicole Greenfield, Jeff Turrentine

The EPA’s decision to veto the project is fantastic news—but the fight to save Bristol Bay isn’t over yet.

Whale Strandings Emphasize a Need for Practical Solutions

January 23, 2023 Expert BlogNew Jersey, New YorkDr. Francine Kershaw, Alison Chase

Recent whale deaths highlight the need to limit vessel speeds, invest in ropeless fishing systems, and adopt responsible offshore wind.

The Global North’s Myth Making Threatens COP27 Forest Pledge

November 8, 2022 Expert BlogCanada, United States, New YorkJennifer Skene

It’s Time to Transition Away from Offshore Oil Leasing

October 6, 2022 Expert BlogAlaska, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, FloridaIrene Gutierrez

Committee Approves Climate-Ready Updates to Fisheries Law

September 27, 2022 Expert BlogAlaskaMolly Masterton

In the Melting Arctic, a Reckoning to Save Indigenous Culture, Narwhals, and a Silent Sea

September 22, 2022 DispatchArcticBill Donahue

As a mining company seeks to ship millions of tons more of iron ore through caribou and narwhal habitat, good science requires the input of the Inuit.

Gearing Up for an Even Bigger Climate Fight in New York

July 14, 2022 Expert BlogNew YorkMarisa Guerrero, Rich Schrader

NRDC is preparing for the New York State legislative session in 2023, where we'll fight hard alongside our allies and partners for important bills that will protect our state and our planet from the worst effects of climate change.

Public Comment Needed on Oil and Gas Leasing Proposal

July 14, 2022 Expert BlogAlaska, LouisianaValerie Cleland, Lauren Kubiak

South Fork Wind Adopts Enhanced Right Whale Protections

June 27, 2022 Expert BlogEast, New YorkAlison Chase, Nathanael Greene, Dr. Francine Kershaw

A new wind project offshore New York will include added protections for the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

Canada Fighting a Rising Tide of Support for NY Forest Bill

May 31, 2022 Expert BlogCanada, New YorkJennifer Skene

Canada’s stunning display of hypocrisy and doublespeak spotlights the discordance at the heart of its forest and climate policy.

The Biden Administration Cancels Its Offshore Drilling Plan for Alaska’s Cook Inlet—Let’s Keep It Off the Books

May 13, 2022 DispatchAlaskaSusan Cosier

The lease sale would have endangered Indigenous communities, threatened rare whales, added to the Far North’s climate crisis, and gambled with a 20 percent chance for a large oil spill.