Publication Items

COP28 Will Be Earth-Shaping News in 2024 and Beyond [1]

When nations converge this fall for the latest round of annual talks on harnessing climate change, they meet at a crucial juncture. Will the increasingly dramatic impacts of global warming, and the prospects of worse, focus their attention enough to bring about progress? In this sweeping analysis, Backgrounder assesses the varied pressures at play at the coming COP28, along with tips for covering it, from up close or afar.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Environmental Studies [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [11]
Science [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Canada [15]
Africa [16]
Asia [17]
Europe [18]
Middle East [19]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about COP28 Will Be Earth-Shaping News in 2024 and Beyond [1]
Waste Incineration May Put Toxics Into Local Air [21]

Sometimes on the environment beat, what seems like an old story is perpetually new again. That’s the case with waste incineration, finds the latest TipSheet. Rather than being reduced, incinerators are just being transformed, with the ongoing burning of plastics especially troubling for the environment and public health. Get the backstory on where the regulatory regime may have holes, plus key reporting angles and story ideas.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Air [24]
Chemicals [25]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [6]
Health [27]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [28]
Waste [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Waste Incineration May Put Toxics Into Local Air [21]
Both Sides Now — How Permitting Reform May Affect Fossil Fuel, Clean Energy Industries [30]

It’s a political knot with the potential to tangle the fossil energy industry, the clean energy industry … or both. Environmental journalists looking to better report on the impacts of permitting reform can start with our latest Backgrounder, which explores the issue’s recent history and the competing visions that have stalled changes. There’s also the “backroom problem.” Plus, get a rundown of key actors.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [8]
Infrastructure [31]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Natural Resources [32]
Policy [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [33]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [34]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [35]
International [14]
Canada [15]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Both Sides Now — How Permitting Reform May Affect Fossil Fuel, Clean Energy Industries [30]
Watching the Watchers: How Journalistic Teamwork Uncovered Years of Regulatory Failure in Texas [36]

After a massive fire at a Texas petrochemical storage facility, reporters from Public Health Watch and The Texas Tribune worked together to shed light on who was responsible for this disaster and what health threats had been hidden from the public. This behind-the-scenes report from Public Health Watch’s David Leffler and Savanna Strott looks at the challenges the team faced and how they overcame them.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [24]
Chemicals [25]
Disasters [38]
Economy & Business [39]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [8]
Health [27]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [40]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Watching the Watchers: How Journalistic Teamwork Uncovered Years of Regulatory Failure in Texas [36]
Threats to Press Come in Many Forms. Some Are Violent. [41]

Attacks of all kinds on U.S. journalists clearly hamper a free press. And environmental journalists are not spared such aggressions, especially when covering contested places like pipeline construction sites. WatchDog Opinion outlines the problem and explores how journalists might be spared from such violations, including with a prospective law explicitly protecting journalists from assault.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [6]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [43]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [44]
International [14]
Canada [15]
South America [45]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Threats to Press Come in Many Forms. Some Are Violent. [41]
How To Power Through Your EPA Power Plant Rule Coverage [46]

The new proposed limits on climate pollution from existing power plants will be a significant story for years to come, but one with many moving parts and numerous complications. The new Issue Backgrounder explores the larger context and history of the proposed rule, and provides six key developments to watch as you track its evolution.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [24]
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Health [27]
Infrastructure [31]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [11]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about How To Power Through Your EPA Power Plant Rule Coverage [46]
Environmental Journalists, Idling in Idaho [47]

With the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 32nd annual conference in Boise now behind us, humorist David Helvarg offers a sharp-witted, albeit affectionate, skewering of the five-day gathering, everything from the host state’s politics to the innumerable sessions and the final blowout party. Prepare for punnage. Plus, check out the evolving multimedia coverage [48] of the event, and watch for session audio recordings to come.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [50]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [39]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [6]
Fish & Fisheries [51]
Forests [52]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [32]
Policy [11]
Water & Oceans [53]
Wildlife [54]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [43]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Environmental Journalists, Idling in Idaho [47]
Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [55]

The debate over drilling on public lands goes back decades. But now our view of how — or even whether — to use public lands faces the unprecedented reality of climate change, fire, drought, floods and the transition to clean energy. The latest Backgrounder explains how we got here and where the current battles rage, including over the Alaskan North Slope’s massive Willow Project.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Forests [52]
Government [8]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Natural Resources [32]
Policy [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [33]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [56]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [55]
Is EV-Driven Demand for Lithium on Collision Course With Environment Concerns? [57]

The push to replace gas-guzzling vehicles with electric-powered alternatives is hitting significant speed bumps. The existing supply of lithium for batteries can’t keep up with demand, and new mining proposals often face opposition from area residents worried about local impacts. Radio reporter David Boraks has been covering one such conflict in North Carolina. He shares his insights and reporting tips.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [58]
Air [24]
Biodiversity [50]
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [59]
Economy & Business [39]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Natural Resources [32]
Policy [11]
Pollution [28]
Technology [60]
Transportation [61]
Water & Oceans [53]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [62]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [43]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [44]
International [14]
Asia [17]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Is EV-Driven Demand for Lithium on Collision Course With Environment Concerns? [57]
2023 Gathering Goes Big in Boise [63]

The Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual conference is back to Boise, two-and-a-half years after the first attempt to meet in the mountainous Northwestern state was sidetracked by the COVID pandemic. Co-chairs Tom Michael and Christy George outline the rich schedule of plenaries, panels, tours and other events that are drawing record interest to the April 19-23 program.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [58]
Biodiversity [50]
Climate Change [3]
Diversity [64]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Fish & Fisheries [51]
Forests [52]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [32]
Policy [11]
Water & Oceans [53]
Wildlife [54]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [34]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [43]
Northwest (OR WA) [65]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about 2023 Gathering Goes Big in Boise [63]

Pages