News & Commentary

A Snorkeler’s-Eye View of the Gulf of California

June 1, 2026 NRDC in ActionMexicoJoel Reynolds

These photos that NRDC captured—of whales, porpoises, rays, and a dazzling array of reef fish—underscore what’s at stake as we resist the latest attempts to industrialize the “Aquarium of the World.”

From Whales to Walruses, Sea Mammals Are Under Attack—and So Is the Law That Protects Them

May 21, 2026 ExplainerUnited StatesShelia Hu

In yet another attack on science, Congress is proposing to dismantle the Marine Mammal Protection Act, all while the bycatch crisis worsens.

Blue Whales Ply the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts; Industry Could Soon Too

May 8, 2026 DispatchUnited States, EastJason Bittel

The first-ever sightings of the earth’s largest animals in these waters come as the Trump administration opens the marine national monument to destructive commercial fishing.

The Pollution That Causes Acid Rain Is Back on the Rise

May 7, 2026 ExplainerUnited StatesShelia Hu

Last year, the Trump administration gave coal-fired power plants free passes to pollute—and the dirtier air is already here.

My Quest for Energy Affordability and Housing Justice Is Both Personal and Professional

May 4, 2026 PerspectivesCaliforniaJasmine  Valdovinos

Accessing basic energy needs and a comfortable home shouldn’t be a luxury. But for families like mine, the barriers are built in.

Deep-Sea Mining: What’s at Stake

May 1, 2026 ExplainerUnited StatesSusan Cosier, Shelia Hu

Highly sought-after mineral resources lie in the ocean depths. But so does a world we could destroy before ever understanding it.

When Energy Security Is a Casualty of War

April 28, 2026 ExplainerInternationalJeffrey Michaels

The U.S. war with Iran makes one thing perfectly clear: Depending on fossil fuels is neither safe nor smart.

Experts Predict EV Sales Will Keep Rising Despite Setbacks

April 27, 2026 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

At a time of skyrocketing gas prices, more affordable EV models (both new and used) and sustained customer satisfaction continue to appeal to drivers looking to go electric.

A Fund for Cleaning Up Coal Mining’s Toxic Legacy Dries Up

April 27, 2026 ExplainerUnited States, Pennsylvania, Illinois, West VirginiaSusan Cosier

As rural communities seek to move on from polluted pasts, funds to address thousands of abandoned mines and wells are coming up short. 

The Endangered Species Act Under Attack

March 19, 2026 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

The Trump administration takes aim at imperiled wildlife and the public servants who help protect them.

Venezuela’s Oil Resources Are Vast (and Should Stay Underground)

March 19, 2026 ExplainerVenezuela, United States, InternationalMolly Bergen

The pursuit of the world’s dirtiest oil would cost more than $100 billion, involve the U.S. military, and sabotage climate efforts.

NRDC to EPA: Get the Rocket Fuel Out of Our Water Already!

March 13, 2026 NRDC in ActionUnited StatesShelia Hu

With endurance, grit, and a couple lawsuits, we’ve spent decades pushing for meaningful perchlorate protections—but will the government finally set one?

Should Harmful Pesticides Come with Warning Labels?

March 5, 2026 ExplainerUnited StatesCourtney Lindwall

As lawsuits over Roundup bloom and activists across the political spectrum push for safer foods, the issue of chemical company liability heads to the Supreme Court and beyond.

Mercury’s Journey from Coal-Burning Power Plants to Your Plate

February 23, 2026 ExplainerUnited StatesSusan Cosier

The Trump administration is allowing utilities to release more of this potent neurotoxin into the environment.

Forcing Michigan’s Coal Plant to Stay Open Was Just the Beginning

February 16, 2026 DispatchMichiganSusan Cosier

The Trump administration’s so-called emergency orders to keep burning dirty coal comes at a huge cost to ratepayers across the country.

How the Trump Administration Bakes Climate Denial into U.S. Policy

February 13, 2026 ExplainerUnited StatesMolly Bergen

Denying science no longer works, so the federal government is pretending the climate crisis doesn’t exist at all. 

Testimonies from a Warming World

February 13, 2026 PerspectivesUnited StatesJenny Shalant

Three climate activists state plainly what is at stake as the EPA tries to walk away from its responsibility to protect us from climate pollution.

Senate Vote Will Decide Fate of the Boundary Waters

February 9, 2026 PerspectivesMinnesotaDavid Doniger

The U.S. Senate will vote this week on whether to allow dangerous sulfide-ore copper mining on the edges of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness—a place where my family’s roots go back more than a century.

To Speed Up Climate Progress, Support for Developing Countries Is Key

January 28, 2026 ExplainerInternationalCourtney Lindwall, Shelia Hu

Here’s why follow-through on a $100 billion–per–year climate finance promise, from collecting data to determining success, remains complex but critical.

Another Alarm Call from the Arctic: Its Rivers Are Turning Orange

January 27, 2026 DispatchArcticClara Chaisson

The once clean and clear waterways are rusting, a visually striking example of the catastrophic—and sometimes unpredictable—impacts of global climate change.