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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.
A river with green trees on either side, with yellow hills in the background

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

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

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China’s Top Industries Can Peak Collective Emissions in 2025

Expert BlogChinaJake Schmidt
Joint research by NRDC and Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP) finds that China’s top coal-consuming sectors—power, steel, cement, and coal-chemicals—can collectively peak both coal consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in 2025.

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.

WA & OR Solidify West Coast Vehicle Electrification

Expert BlogWashington, OregonPatricio Portillo, Dr. Simon Mui

Adopting the Clean Trucks Program in Oregon and the Advanced Clean Trucks and Zero Emission Vehicle Programs in Washington solidifies the West Coast as one of the world’s biggest markets for electric vehicles.

Seattle Orders Building Standard and Walk Zone for Climate

Expert BlogSeattle, WashingtonElizabeth Stampe

Speaking from Glasgow at the international COP-26 climate meeting, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced an executive order to cut Seattle’s greenhouse gas emissions from the city’s two largest sources: transportation and buildings.

Senator and WA Governor Join Forces to Tackle Snake Dams

Expert BlogWashington, WestGiulia C.S. Good Stefani

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Washington Governor Jay Inslee answered advocates’ calls to energize the decades-long push to save our iconic salmon from extinction.

Orcas Lose a Grandmother, Matriarch L47

Expert BlogWashington, OregonGiulia C.S. Good Stefani

This Saturday is Orca Recovery Day and people are coming together for some healing—and to demand action.

China Announces It Will Not Build New Coal Plants Abroad

Expert BlogChinaAlvin Lin, Jake Schmidt

China’s new announcement has the potential to help promote a clean energy revolution around the world by sending an important signal that China will immediately shift its support for overseas coal power plant projects to work with developing countries to…

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.

China Can Meet Energy and Climate Goals Capping Coal Power

Expert BlogChinaAlvin Lin

New research by NRDC and the North China Electric Power University finds that by capping installed coal power capacity at 1,100 GW over the coming 14th Five-Year-Plan period, China can both guarantee its energy security and remain on track to…

Sockeye Salmon Dying, Temperature Rises on Snake River Dams

Expert BlogWashington, OregonGiulia C.S. Good Stefani

Columbia River Basin sockeye salmon are migrating upriver from the ocean, but new underwater videos show that this summer the fish have large chunks of flesh missing and bulbous growths across their bodies. The fish are rotting to death in…

The West Coast: Carbon Free by 2045 . . . or Earlier

Expert BlogWest, California, Oregon, WashingtonRalph Cavanagh

HB 2021, Oregon’s “100% Clean Electricity” bill just approved by the legislature and sent to Governor Brown’s desk for signing, aligns with New York for the most aggressive state clean electricity goal in the country—zero greenhouse gas emissions in the…

China Accepts Kigali Amendment, Will Phase Down HFCs

Expert BlogChina, InternationalAlex Hillbrand, Mona Yew

China formally accepted the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol last week, the final step in bringing the world’s largest fluorochemical producer onboard with the global HFC phasedown. China’s ratification will be effective as of September 15th, 2021, making it…

Washington State Amps Up Controls on HFC Emissions

Expert BlogWashingtonChristina Theodoridi

Ambitious new law in Washington sets a maximum limit—or, global warming potential (GWP), threshold on the HFCs used in stationary air conditioning and refrigeration, and mandates that a refrigerant management program be created to combat HFC releases from large existing…

China Commits to Strictly Control and Phase Down Coal

Expert BlogChinaAlvin Lin
At the Leaders’ Summit on Climate, President Xi reiterated China’s commitment to climate action, including by strengthening its efforts to cap and bring down its coal consumption and to transition decisively from coal.