Publication Items

Is Climate Disaster Insurance a Worsening Disaster? [1]

The growing disconnect between climate risk and risk insurance for homeowners is leaving millions on the knife-edge of economic disaster. But the latest TipSheet suggests that reality offers environmental journalists an opportunity to navigate the morass, community by community. Get more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources in the latest column.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [4]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
People & Population [10]
Planning & Growth [11]
Policy [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Wildlife [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
California [16]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Is Climate Disaster Insurance a Worsening Disaster? [1]
Kelp — The Understory, Underwater [19]

Massive kelp groves, little-noticed despite their proximity to populated coastlines or their importance to ecosystems and to us humans, face numerous pressures and a drastic decline. In “Forest of the Sea,” author David Helvarg dives into the subject, literally, to help reveal this unique undersea world. BookShelf contributing editor Jennifer Weeks has a review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [21]
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Health [22]
Fish & Fisheries [23]
Natural Resources [24]
Pollution [25]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Kelp — The Understory, Underwater [19]
How Attribution Science Can Help Reporters on the Heat Beat [27]

With 2026 shaping up to be an exceptional El Niño year, expect lots of record-breaking heat waves and other extreme weather. But climate change will also contribute. Explaining the role of both is essential to complete coverage. Journalist Ethan Brown shares tips and resources for using climate attribution science as a powerful reporting tool. Plus, five questions to ask while covering the next extreme climate event.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [28]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Environmental Studies [29]
Journalism & Media [8]
Policy [12]
Science [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about How Attribution Science Can Help Reporters on the Heat Beat [27]
Risk Data Is There Despite Efforts To Hide It [31]

Hazmat risk data has long been subject to blackout efforts by industry. And now, Trump administration allies may change the rules to make existing information even harder to get. But Reporter’s Toolbox knows where journalists can still find the goods to support their reporting. Read on to learn about risks to the program in question — and Toolbox workarounds.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [33]
Chemicals [34]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [12]
Pollution [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Risk Data Is There Despite Efforts To Hide It [31]
Extreme Heat Will Get You This Summer. Watch Out! [35]

With the approach of what looks like an unusually hot summer, the latest TipSheet offers guidance on covering extreme heat, starting with the step-by-step basics of understanding heat’s health impacts, from dehydration to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Plus, get 10 story ideas and reporting resources to cover the dangers of extreme heat locally.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Health [36]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Extreme Heat Will Get You This Summer. Watch Out! [35]
Why Environmental Journalists Should Care About the Presidential Records Act [37]

It may not seem at first glance like an environmental matter, but the Trump Justice Department’s declaration that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional potentially undermines the preservation of key administration records, warns WatchDog Opinion. That includes all kinds of environmental policy decision-making by the president, White House and other executive branch staff. Here’s why we need the act.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Why Environmental Journalists Should Care About the Presidential Records Act [37]
Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [39]

In the wake of two major disasters, beat reporters at The Washington Post examined systemic failures in response and recovery, and the human toll for affected communities. Journalist Brianna Sacks shares what she learned from those investigations, which won a large market award for beat reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists. Read our Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [10]
Policy [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
California [16]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [39]
Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [41]

When it comes to tracking weather phenomena from heat waves and tornadoes to wildfire smoke or storm surge, environmental journalists could hardly do better than the vast array of data from the National Weather Service, writes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. A tour of data maps and viewers, forecasts and weather insights from the large scale to the local.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Journalism & Media [8]
Science [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [41]
Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [42]

Today’s teens are growing up in a world of conspicuous climate change, often directly affected by its consequences. Despite their youth, some are at the forefront of the fight against this threat. Freelance journalist and author Meera Subramanian — co-creator of a new nonfiction graphic novel about young climate campaigners — on teens as sources, activism as a topic and the pleasures of collaboration. See a sample of the book [43].

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [28]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [44]
Biodiversity [21]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Diversity [45]
Environmental Health [22]
Environmental Justice [46]
Environmental Politics [6]
Environmental Studies [29]
Health [36]
Journalism & Media [8]
Pollution [25]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [47]
Science [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [48]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [42]
National Seashores Are a Secret Summer Treasure [49]

While less heralded than its national park system, the United States abounds in waterfront treasures that are part of the national seashore and lakeshore program. The latest TipSheet takes you on a guided tour of more than a dozen, from barrier islands and dunes to tidepools and turtles. Plus, a half-dozen reporting ideas for your own region.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [24]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
California [16]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [50]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [51]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [48]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [52]
International [26]
Canada [53]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about National Seashores Are a Secret Summer Treasure [49]

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