SEJ Awards for Reporting on the Environment

 

2025 submissions are closed

The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) is no longer accepting submissions for the 2025 SEJ Awards for Reporting on the Environment, honoring exceptional journalism on environmental topics published between May 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025.

Now aligned with SEJ’s annual conference in April, the updated awards timeline allows us to celebrate winners in person and in community.

Submissions were open in 10 categories.

• First-place winners receive $500, a trophy, a digital winner’s banner, and discounted SEJ conference registration.
• Second-place winners receive $250 and online recognition.
• All first-place winners are automatically considered for SEJ’s highest honor: the Nina Mason Pulliam Award for Outstanding Environmental Reporting, described below.

Entry Deadline: Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT
Late Deadline: Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT (late fees apply)

• Rules
• FAQs
• How to enter the Carmody, Beat, Explanatory and Feature categories
• How to enter Rachel Carson Environment Book Award category
• How to enter the Outstanding Student Reporting Award category
• Volunteer to support SEJ’s Awards for Reporting on the Environment

 

The Nina Mason Pulliam Award for Outstanding Environmental Reporting

One first-place winner from the SEJ Awards will be selected to receive the coveted Nina Mason Pulliam Award for Outstanding Environmental Reporting. This award honors the single most distinguished piece of environmental journalism among SEJ Award winners. The winner will receive: 

• A $10,000 monetary prize
• A commemorative trophy
• Up to $2,500 toward travel, lodging and registration support to attend SEJ’s annual conference

The Nina Mason Pulliam Award is made possible by the generous support of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Read more about the Pulliam Award.

See all the Pulliam winners.

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Sign Up for Awards Info

SEJ Awards Committee

Cynthia Barnett, Freelance journalist and author; EJ instructor, University of Florida

Dan Fagin, New York University

Susan Hess, Columbia Insight 

Sonia Narang, Multimedia Journalist

Parimal Rohit, CoStar News

Ex Officio:
Tony Barboza, Editorial Writer, Los Angeles Times and SEJ Board Liaison to the Awards Committee

 

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Past Award winners:

2024  |  2023  |  2022  |  2021  |  2020  |  2019  |  2018  |  2017  |  2016  |  2015  |  2014  |  2013  |  2012  |  2011  |  2010  |  2009  |  2008  |  2007  |  2006  |  2005  |  2004  |  2003  |  2002

​Past Pulliam winners:

2024  |  2023  |  2022  |  2021  |  2020  |  2019  |  2018

Thank you to our Awards judges and screeners over the years!