natural resources defense council

China on Track to Establish Carbon Market as U.S. Withdraws From Climate Stage

China on Track to Establish Carbon Market as U.S. Withdraws From Climate Stage

China unveiled the details on Tuesday of what is soon to be the world’s largest carbon market, two years after China’s president Xi announced the initiative. Although the market launch date wasn’t revealed, observers saw today’s announcement as a noteworthy step. “This is like the pyramids of Giza for climate policy,” Nathaniel Keohane, the vice […]

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    EPA: Perchlorate in Drinking Water Can Harm Fetal Brain Development

    EPA: Perchlorate in Drinking Water Can Harm Fetal Brain Development

    By Tom Neltner Pursuant to a consent decree with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing drinking water regulations to protect fetuses and young children from perchlorate, a toxic chemical that inhibits the thyroid’s ability to make the hormone T4 essential to brain development. The rulemaking is part […]

    Trump’s ‘Hold’ on Elephant Trophies May Not Be Enough

    Trump’s ‘Hold’ on Elephant Trophies May Not Be Enough

    As many of you may have heard by now, President Donald Trump tweeted, and Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke reiterated, a decision late Friday night to put elephant trophy imports from Zimbabwe “on hold” out of the belief that “conservation and healthy herds are critical.” This follows the administration’s decision, on Thursday, to allow such imports […]

    Congress: Biggest Attack on Marine Mammals in Decades

    Congress: Biggest Attack on Marine Mammals in Decades

    By Michael Jasny On Thursday, the House Natural Resources Committee passed a bill, called the “SECURE American Energy Act” (H.R. 4239), that can only be described as an oil industry wish-list. The bill’s purpose is to mow down environmental concerns that stand in the way of the complete exploitation of fossil fuels in this country. […]

    Fate of National Monuments Remains Shrouded in Secrecy: Earthjustice Sues Federal Agencies for Withholding Information From Public

    Fate of National Monuments Remains Shrouded in Secrecy: Earthjustice Sues Federal Agencies for Withholding Information From Public

    For months, the Interior Department, Bureau of Land Management and the White House Council on Environmental Quality have repeatedly failed to answer the public’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for information related to the Trump administration’s ongoing review of national monuments—protected federal lands and waters that belong to the American people. The review of […]

    Trump to Shrink Utah National Monuments to Allow Drilling, Mining

    Trump to Shrink Utah National Monuments to Allow Drilling, Mining

    The Trump administration will shrink two national monuments in Utah including the 1.3 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument, opening the lands up for potential industry use. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) confirmed in a Friday statement that Trump called the senator to inform him of the Bears Ears decision and that he will also shrink Utah’s […]

    Dogs Are a Kiwi’s Best Friend (and Worst Enemy)

    Dogs Are a Kiwi’s Best Friend (and Worst Enemy)

    By Jason Bittel The kiwi is a small, flightless bird that spends most of the day underground. At night, these needle-billed, chicken-size floofs emerge to hunt insects, crayfish, seeds and fruit, but as they waddle through New Zealand’s forests, they create invisible scent trails. By morning, kiwis have often unwittingly led a predator back to […]

    Anthony Bourdain Tackles Food Waste in New Documentary

    Anthony Bourdain Tackles Food Waste in New Documentary

    By Eva Perroni A new documentary from chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain, WASTED! The Story of Food Waste explores both the problem of food waste in the U.S. and possible solutions from around the globe. The documentary features renowned chefs and food leaders, including Dan Barber, Mario Batali, Massimo Bottura, Danny Bowien and Dr. […]

    Human Exposure to Glyphosate Has Skyrocketed 500% Since Introduction of GMO Crops

    Human Exposure to Glyphosate Has Skyrocketed 500% Since Introduction of GMO Crops

    Glyphosate—the most widely applied herbicide worldwide and the controversial main ingredient in Monsanto‘s star product Roundup—is not just found on corn and soy fields. This pervasive chemical can be detected in everyday foods such as cookies, crackers, ice cream and even our own urine. In fact, researchers from the University of California San Diego School […]