Publication Items

Follow the Money With Campaign and Lobbying Data [1]

With a new Congress in place and the seemingly never-ending political races to track, reporters can often learn a good deal about how environmental policy is influenced by looking into campaign and lobbying donations. Backgrounder takes a deep dive into the topic, pointing to important sources of information and data … and their limitations.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Follow the Money With Campaign and Lobbying Data [1]
SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [11]

As part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment special report, we’ve got highlights from last week’s reporter panel on the year ahead, led by #SEJ2023 conference co-chair Tom Michael (pictured, left). The focus was largely on the U.S. West, where challenges abound over issues like equitable siting of renewable energy infrastructure, regulating natural gas, managing wildfires and addressing the health consequences of climate-driven heat waves. Read our account [11], plus check out the full 2023 Guide [12].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [14]
Air [15]
Biodiversity [16]
Climate Change [17]
Disasters [18]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [22]
Food [23]
Forests [24]
Government [5]
Health [25]
Infrastructure [26]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [27]
People & Population [28]
Planning & Growth [29]
Policy [8]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [32]
Region:
California [33]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [34]
Northwest (OR WA) [35]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [11]
Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [37]

In our annual analysis of what’s ahead on the environment beat in 2023, there are some things to count on: worsening climate disasters and continued politicking over energy transitions, but also regulatory action on greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention on “forever chemicals”). Other things are less clear: environmental rulings by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, energy impacts of war in Europe and the effectiveness of COP28 and treaty talks on plastic pollution. Read the full overview and get more in our “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [12]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [39]
Agriculture [14]
Air [15]
Biodiversity [16]
Chemicals [40]
Climate Change [17]
Disasters [18]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [22]
Government [5]
Health [25]
Infrastructure [26]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Military [41]
Natural Resources [27]
Planning & Growth [29]
Policy [8]
Pollution [30]
Science [42]
Waste [43]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [44]
Europe [45]
Middle East [46]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [37]
Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [47]

Iconic critters like salmon, orca and wolves. Climate controversies like natural gas greenwashing and carbon auctions. And wildfire fallout like “smoke-a-geddon.” These are just some of the wide array of stories worth covering as environmental journalists scan Cascadia, the huge area encompassing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and stretching from Alaska to Utah. This special TipSheet, part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, outlines top issues in the region, offering insights, resources and story angles.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [39]
Agriculture [14]
Air [15]
Biodiversity [16]
Climate Change [17]
Consumer [49]
Disasters [18]
Diversity [50]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [4]
Environmental Studies [51]
Fish & Fisheries [22]
Food [23]
Forests [24]
Government [5]
Health [25]
Infrastructure [26]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Natural Resources [27]
Planning & Growth [29]
Policy [8]
Pollution [30]
Transportation [52]
Waste [43]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [32]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Alaska and Hawaii [53]
California [33]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [34]
Northwest (OR WA) [35]
International [44]
Canada [54]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [47]
Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [55]

Nearly two-thirds of the world’s rivers are impeded by dams and we keep building them in our quest for cleaner and greener sources of electricity. But as podcast producer Farha Akhtar learned while producing a recent episode, these monumental structures are having a profound impact on our planet and catastrophic consequences for many Indigenous people.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [39]
Biodiversity [16]
Chemicals [40]
Climate Change [17]
Consumer [49]
Diversity [50]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [22]
Food [23]
Government [5]
Health [25]
Infrastructure [26]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [27]
Pollution [30]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [57]
Science [42]
Technology [58]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [32]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [44]
Canada [54]
Asia [59]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [55]
Water-Sharing in the West: An Urgent and Complicated Environmental Story [60]

Water has always been a precious commodity in the western states. Now, with rapid population growth and a drying climate, the way this resource is shared and distributed is becoming more contentious across the region. Freelance journalist Jennifer Oldham talks about the tensions between supply and demand and how to drill down into water rights laws and policies.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [14]
Climate Change [17]
Consumer [49]
Economy & Business [3]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Infrastructure [26]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Natural Resources [27]
People & Population [28]
Planning & Growth [29]
Policy [8]
Technology [58]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [33]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [34]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Water-Sharing in the West: An Urgent and Complicated Environmental Story [60]
Corporations and Climate Change Toolbox [61]

Corporations may be taking steps to address climate change, but are they moving big enough and fast enough? As part of a special initiative from the Society of Environmental Journalists, we offer a resource toolbox on how to cover business-based climate solutions. Plus, insights from a related tipsheet [62].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [17]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Journalism & Media [6]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [44]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Corporations and Climate Change Toolbox [61]
Measuring the Impact of Corporate Commitments [63]

Corporations may be taking steps to address climate change, but are they moving big enough and fast enough? As part of a special initiative from the Society of Environmental Journalists, we offer a tipsheet from journalist Megan Myscofski on how to cover business-based climate solutions. Get additional resources [64] and watch this video from an earlier webinar [65]. And see the full Covering Climate Solutions special report [66].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [17]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Journalism & Media [6]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [44]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Measuring the Impact of Corporate Commitments [63]
Disinformation Presents New Challenges to Environmental Journalists [67]

An explosion of deliberately misleading information has hit the environmental journalism beat, argues the new Backgrounder. A look at how today’s untruth industry has evolved from that of the past, particularly in the area of climate change, and how reporters have now turned it into its own specialty coverage area. Plus, seven tips on what you can do to handle disinformation on your beat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [17]
Economy & Business [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Environmental Studies [51]
Journalism & Media [6]
Policy [8]
Science [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Disinformation Presents New Challenges to Environmental Journalists [67]
Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [68]

When U.S. communities become unlivable due to climate change impacts, can residents count on government relocation assistance — and are those most in need of help actually getting it? Those questions kickstarted a year-long investigation led by three high-powered journalism organizations. Now they’re sharing their reporting resources toolkit and inviting other journalists to widen the coverage with more local stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [17]
Disasters [18]
Diversity [50]
Economy & Business [3]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [25]
Infrastructure [26]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
People & Population [28]
Planning & Growth [29]
Policy [8]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Alaska and Hawaii [53]
California [33]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [69]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [70]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [71]
Northwest (OR WA) [35]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [72]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [68]

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