News & Commentary

Protecting Biodiversity Means Saving the Bogs (and Peatlands, Swamps, Marshes, Fens…)

April 23, 2024 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

Wetlands cover just 6 percent of the planet’s land area but provide habitat for 40 percent of wildlife.

In Planning for Climate Change, Native Americans Draw on the Past

March 11, 2024 ExplainerUnited States, CanadaTim Vanderpool

Across North America, Indigenous tribes and nations are consulting their traditional ecological knowledge to help prepare for a warming world.

The Uinta Basin Railway Would Be a Bigger Carbon Bomb Than Willow

December 13, 2023 ExplainerUtah, Colorado, United StatesNicole Greenfield

The project could sabotage U.S. climate goals, send oil-filled trains along the Colorado River, and pollute the air from Utah to the Gulf Coast.

Why Coastal Access Is an Environmental Justice Issue

August 31, 2023 ExplainerUnited StatesMardi Fuller

Beach access has long been shaped by multiple systemic injustices. It’s time to change that.

What the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA Ruling Means for Wetlands and Other Waterways

June 5, 2023 ExplainerUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

How the twisting of words in the Clean Water Act spells disaster.

California’s Climate Whiplash

April 17, 2023 ExplainerCaliforniaNicole Greenfield

The state broke snowfall records after three of its driest years ever. Now floods wreak havoc. These swings are the new normal—and they’re very hard to manage.

Finally, a High Seas Treaty to Protect the World’s Oceans

April 14, 2023 ExplainerInternationalBrian Palmer, Jeff Turrentine

A new U.N. agreement aims to bring order and conservation to what has—up to now—been an ocean of mismanagement and neglect.

Can Anything Be Done to Stop Overfishing?

June 24, 2022 ExplainerInternational

It’s a complex problem, but a combination of smart fisheries management and consumer vigilance can encourage more sustainable practices.

Atlantic Oil Drilling Is a Terrible Idea

May 17, 2022 ExplainerUnited States

While past leasing proposals have included the Atlantic among other large swaths of the U.S. coastline, today the vast majority of Americans agree that opening up more areas for leasing spells disaster for our climate and our economy.

How Deep Were the Impacts of the BP Oil Disaster?

April 8, 2020 ExplainerUnited StatesMelissa Denchak

A decade later, the Gulf of Mexico is still far from fully recovered.

Are My Denim Jeans Bad for the Environment?

August 27, 2019 ExplainerUnited States, ChinaCourtney Lindwall

Environmental reporter Tatiana Schlossberg, author of "Inconspicuous Consumption," says the American staple needs a 21st-century overhaul for the sake of our water, climate, and health.

Orcas in Peril, Part I: An Ocean Empty of Food

February 28, 2019 ExplainerUnited States, InternationalPerrin Ireland

Southern Resident killer whales of the Salish Sea face many challenges, but the threat of death from starvation is especially dire. Thankfully, there's a solution—and we need to help make it happen.

After 140 Million Years, the Chinese Sturgeon May Soon Be Extinct

November 20, 2018 ExplainerChinaJason Bittel

As dams have popped up in the Yangtze River, one of the world’s biggest freshwater fish is running out of room—and time.

Cape Cod’s Gray Seal and White Shark Problem Is Not Black-and-White

November 9, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, MassachusettsJason Bittel

After a rare shark bite takes a life, some in this beach region want to go after the seals.

Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference?

August 1, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, International

NRDC’s Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans.

What’s Happening to the North Atlantic Right Whale Is Just Plain Wrong

June 7, 2018 ExplainerInternationalJason Bittel

Scientists say the species could be functionally extinct in just a few decades—but there are some solutions within reach.

The Unassuming Crayfish—and Its Path of Devastation

October 5, 2017 ExplainerUnited States, InternationalJason Bittel

Do not underestimate the signal crayfish. It’s both a keystone species and a merciless invader of foreign streams.

When Clean Water’s Not Clear

July 14, 2017 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

The Trump administration wants to open our waterways back up to pollution.

Can Military Dolphins Save This Tiny, Critically Endangered Porpoise?

January 9, 2017 ExplainerUnited States, MexicoJason Bittel

Scientists want to round up the world’s last vaquitas to protect them from extinction. Cue Flipper.

What We Learned from the BP Oil Disaster

April 20, 2016 ExplainerUnited States, LouisianaPatrick Rogers

The resulting loss to life, livelihoods, and the environment hasn't slowed offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. But it should.