Publication Items

NOAA Data Portal Is a Great Home Port for Environmental Journalists [1]

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration database is as vast as the oceans the agency monitors and filled with information collected by a wide array of instruments operating above, below and on the water’s surface. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox delves into the NOAA Data Discovery Portal and takes a look at a new search tool that promises easier exploration of this treasure trove.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Studies [6]
Fish & Fisheries [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Science [10]
Technology [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about NOAA Data Portal Is a Great Home Port for Environmental Journalists [1]
WTO Deal on Fishing Subsidies May Reduce Ocean Overfishing [15]

A new World Trade Organization agreement to limit global overfishing may yield important stories for environmental journalists, as billions of people around the world rely on already heavily exploited fish stocks as their main source of protein. This Backgrounder offers details on the pact and how it tries to address the problem, while providing resources for your reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [17]
Environmental Health [18]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [7]
Food [21]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [24]
Water & Oceans [12]
Wildlife [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [26]
Asia [27]
Europe [28]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about WTO Deal on Fishing Subsidies May Reduce Ocean Overfishing [15]
Covering Sharks in Shark Week's Wake — You're Gonna Need a Bigger Meme [29]

Despite how it looks on annual summer “shark attack”-style TV programming, the danger sharks represent to humans is dwarfed by the danger we represent to sharks. The latest TipSheet explores how mass media can distort the reality behind sharks and miss the point of their ecological value — and sheer wonder. Get ideas to better report the real story behind sharks.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Fish & Fisheries [7]
Journalism & Media [9]
Water & Oceans [12]
Wildlife [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Covering Sharks in Shark Week's Wake — You're Gonna Need a Bigger Meme [29]
Can Qatar’s World Cup Really Be Carbon Neutral? [31]

Qatar — the world’s highest carbon emitter on a per capita basis — made big promises in its winning bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. But will they deliver? Doha-based journalism professor Craig LaMay writes that while sports megaevent hosts face increasing pressure to address environmental concerns, critical coverage of their follow-through is challenging, especially in countries with no free press or public right to government information.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [33]
Environmental Politics [20]
Government [8]
Infrastructure [34]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [23]
Technology [11]
Transportation [35]
Waste [36]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
International [26]
Canada [37]
Africa [38]
Asia [27]
Europe [28]
Middle East [39]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Can Qatar’s World Cup Really Be Carbon Neutral? [31]
Reporting Ocean Stories Is Key to Blue Literacy, Planetary Health [40]

As part of a Society of Environmental Journalists publishing project focused on covering climate solutions, we take a closer look at ocean-based solutions. In this special tipsheet, ocean scientist and science writer Juli Berwald offers a primer on the climate-related challenges and possibilities in the global ocean’s physics, chemistry and biology. Plus, check out an expanded toolbox [41] with reporting resources and watch a recent SEJ webinar [42].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [44]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [18]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [6]
Fish & Fisheries [7]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [24]
Science [10]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [26]
Antarctica & Arctic [45]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Reporting Ocean Stories Is Key to Blue Literacy, Planetary Health [40]
How 'Rights of Nature' Is Recasting the Relationship Between Law and the Earth [46]

In 2006, a local government council in Pennsylvania concerned about sewage sludge dumping enacted the Western legal system’s first formal “rights of nature” instrument. Today, numerous countries have laws recognizing specific rights or even legal personhood for nature. As legal expert Alice Bleby explains, this new perspective arises from a wide range of contexts and plays out in many different ways.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [47]
Biodiversity [44]
Chemicals [48]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [18]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [6]
Fish & Fisheries [7]
Forests [49]
Government [8]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [24]
Pollution [50]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [51]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [52]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [53]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [54]
International [26]
Africa [38]
Asia [27]
Australia & Oceania [55]
South America [56]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about How 'Rights of Nature' Is Recasting the Relationship Between Law and the Earth [46]
Ocean and Climate Change Toolbox [41]

Oceans and climate change intersect with many other issues, a crossover likely to be emphasized in the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference and in future ocean-based climate discussions. This list of resources reflects some of that intersection in order to help environmental journalists better cover the field of “blue climate” solutions.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [44]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [18]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [6]
Fish & Fisheries [7]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [24]
Pollution [50]
Science [10]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Ocean and Climate Change Toolbox [41]
EPA Leak on Problem Coal Ash Sites Could Yield Local Drinking Water Stories [57]

Closure plans for more than 160 coal ash facilities crisscrossing the United States are under renewed scrutiny by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a newly leaked list. The latest TipSheet credits that leak with offering local environmental reporters story leads on potential drinking water pollution in their communities. Get the details, plus story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [48]
Energy & Fuel [33]
Environmental Politics [20]
Health [58]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [50]
Waste [36]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [59]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about EPA Leak on Problem Coal Ash Sites Could Yield Local Drinking Water Stories [57]
Covering Climate Solutions [60]

As part of an initiative by the Society of Environmental Journalists on covering climate solutions, this special report offers a series of tipsheets and toolboxes focused on business-based solutions, nature-based solutions, ocean-based solutions and methane/energy-based solutions. Explore the special report and related webinars.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Covering Climate Solutions [60]
Supreme Court Winds Up for Another Swing at Clean Water Act [61]

In a second Issue Backgrounder looking at major environmental questions before the U.S. Supreme Court, SEJournal considers the long-standing controversy about the definition of “waters of the United States.” The Clean Water Act case, which the high court could (re)decide during its next term, would have profound environmental and economic implications. The latest Backgrounder wades into the issue.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [62]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [7]
Government [8]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Supreme Court Winds Up for Another Swing at Clean Water Act [61]

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