The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a U.S.-based international nonprofit environmental advocacy organization, founded in 1970 by a group of law students and lawyers concerned about the state of the environment. NRDC is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Beijing, and New Delhi, and works with more than 3 million members and activists worldwide.
NRDC’s work combines science, policy, law, and advocacy to address climate change, protect public lands and wildlife, safeguard human health, and advance environmental justice. The organization has been a leading force in U.S. environmental law, securing landmark legal victories including the leaded gasoline phaseout, the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and a $97 million settlement to replace the water lines in Flint, Michigan. NRDC has helped pass clean car standards that have saved more than 2 trillion gallons of gasoline since 1975.
NRDC engages with IUCN on international ocean governance, climate adaptation, and species protection, and is a co-founder of the International Marine Protected Areas Congress. The Council’s legal and policy capacity, combined with its global membership, make it one of the most consequential U.S. environmental organizations in international fora.
