EPA Science Databases Offer Grist for Environmental Journalists

July 17, 2013–Science is the key to many environmental stories, and EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) offers a wide range of data tools journalists may find worthwhile to explore.

Canadian Info Watchdog Probes Harper Govt's Muzzling of Scientists

May 22, 2013–Canada's Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault will be investigating the muzzling of Canadian scientists — a perennial complaint of SEJ's Canadian members who can not freely interview tax-funded scientists about subjects like climate. SEJ has twice urged Environment Canada to end such media policies, receiving no answer.

Covering Sprawl, Science, and Chickens

April 15, 2013–

SEJournal Spring 2013, Vol. 23 No. 1

April 15, 2013–In this issue: Special report on energy and climate change; first installment of new column 'Freelance Files' on goal setting; database helps track illegal parkland conversions; members cover sprawl, science and chickens; annual Sundance Film Festival report; and six book reviews.

What’s Coming in Energy? Veteran Reporters Look Ahead

April 15, 2013–

Climate Assessment Revives Memories of White House Science Suppression

January 30, 2013–The release this month of the draft National Climate Assessment garnered many headlines. But little notice went to the fact that it was released at all. Earlier versions of this assessment of climate change's impacts on the U.S. were suppressed — and even "unpublished". But a few voices did take note of the Assessment's release.

Open-Access Science Publishing: Good for Journalists, and Good for Public

January 16, 2013–The suicide earlier this month of open-access activist Aaron Swartz brings again to the fore the ongoing difficulty journalists have accessing published scientific studies that bear on key current and future policy issues. Photo of Swartz, credit Flickr/peretzp.

Polar Bear Scientist Cleared; Interior Dept. Still Under Openness Cloud

October 3, 2012–Five years after wildlife biologist Charles Monnett's 2006 observations of dead polar bears, believed to have drowned because of disappearing Arctic ice, Interior started an investigation of Monnett's science. The findings — partially published September 28, 2012 — were confused and contained no findings of scientific misconduct.

Court Again Rejects Demands for Climate Scientist's E-Mails

September 19, 2012–A Va. court ruled Sept. 17, 2012 that e-mails generated by climate scientist Michael Mann when he worked at the Univ. of Virginia were exempt from the state's FOIA. Mann has been the target of repeated attacks by climate change deniers due to his famous "hockey stick" graph of global temperature records and indicators.

Global Climate Change

September 15, 2012–