Publication Items

Eco-Muckrakers, Dig In — Writing for Nonprofit Ecology and Conservation Magazines [1]

Freelancers looking to explore complex environmental issues may want to consider magazines published by … environmental organizations. Despite the caveats, like ensuring a publication’s editorial independence and guarding against organizational self-promotion, long-time environmental writer Francesca Lyman makes the case in the latest Freelance Files that the pros of such gigs outweigh the cons. Plus a sampler of pubs to approach.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Eco-Muckrakers, Dig In — Writing for Nonprofit Ecology and Conservation Magazines [1]
Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [8]

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 [9]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [10]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [11]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [13]
Chemicals [14]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [16]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Military [26]
Natural Resources [27]
Planning & Growth [28]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Science [31]
Waste [32]
Water & Oceans [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Europe [34]
Middle East [35]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [8]
Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [36]

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 [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [11]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [13]
Climate Change [15]
Consumer [38]
Disasters [16]
Diversity [39]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [41]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Food [42]
Forests [43]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Natural Resources [27]
Planning & Growth [28]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Transportation [44]
Waste [32]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Alaska and Hawaii [46]
California [47]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [48]
Northwest (OR WA) [49]
International [6]
Canada [50]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [36]
Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [51]

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 [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [13]
Chemicals [14]
Climate Change [15]
Consumer [38]
Diversity [39]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Food [42]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [27]
Pollution [30]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [53]
Science [31]
Technology [54]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Canada [50]
Asia [55]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [51]
Straddling the Narrow Divides Between Humans, Animals and Environmental Policy [56]

Prolific author-environmentalist Dave Dempsey’s new book, “Half Wild: People, Dogs, and Environmental Policy,” examines the complex boundaries between humans, wildlife and wilderness in a brief volume that includes vignettes of bears scouring trash heaps and of bourbon-fueled debates over the gap between conservationists and environmentalists. Not to mention bonus observations about his relationship with dogs. Contributor Gary Wilson has a review for our latest BookShelf.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Environmental Health [40]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [58]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Straddling the Narrow Divides Between Humans, Animals and Environmental Policy [56]
EPA Texts Disappear, Suspicions of Misdeeds Do Not [59]

A scandal at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over regulatory capture of some toxic chemical officials has surfaced another serious issue — the EPA says it can’t provide related phone text messages. But it’s required to do so by law. And for environmental journalists, access to such records is key to holding the agency to account, argues WatchDog Opinion.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [60]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Chemicals [14]
Environmental Politics [20]
Government [22]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Policy [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA Texts Disappear, Suspicions of Misdeeds Do Not [59]
On Reporter’s Privilege, Justice Department Takes a Step Forward [61]

The Department of Justice’s new regulations around reporter’s privilege — the protection of journalistic sources and notes — is a noteworthy advance. But the WatchDog Opinion column calls for more: a federal shield law that is less vulnerable to weakening by subsequent administrations. A take on the new regs, the state of current law and prospects for congressional action.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [60]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Government [22]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Policy [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about On Reporter’s Privilege, Justice Department Takes a Step Forward [61]
Journalism Industry Program Supports Reporting on Workers — and Work — in a Warming World [62]

As the economic impacts of climate change intensify, reporting on how individuals are affected, particularly in the Global South, is lagging. Veteran journalist Christine Spolar at The Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting details a new initiative to encourage journalists to fill this gap. The story of recent grantees Bhasker Tripathi and Susan Schulman, who have tracked job losses and migrations tied to climate change in India and Iraq.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [11]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [16]
Economy & Business [17]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Food [42]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Journalism & Media [4]
People & Population [63]
Policy [29]
Technology [54]
Water & Oceans [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Africa [64]
Asia [55]
Middle East [35]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Journalism Industry Program Supports Reporting on Workers — and Work — in a Warming World [62]
ESA Inaction Spells Trouble for an Iconic Grassland Bird [65]

The lesser prairie-chicken is in dire need of protection, but a decision on listing it under the Endangered Species Act is months overdue. Environmental reporter Mike Smith looks at the causes and potential consequences of the bureaucratic delay and muses on whether this unique bird will go the way of its even more imperiled relative, the Attwater’s prairie-chicken [66].

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [11]
Biodiversity [13]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Politics [20]
Government [22]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Natural Resources [27]
Policy [29]
Science [31]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [67]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [48]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [68]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [69]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about ESA Inaction Spells Trouble for an Iconic Grassland Bird [65]
Could Biodiversity Be Bee’s Knees for Environmental Journalists This Fall? [70]

While a global gathering on biodiversity this winter will be news in itself, enterprising reporters can also find many biodiversity stories in their own backyards. The latest TipSheet offers insight into the domestic U.S. battle over endangered species, with a tale of a Tennessee dam, and a better understanding of the biodiversity-habitat connection. Plus, story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [13]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Forests [43]
Government [22]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Natural Resources [27]
Policy [29]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [68]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Could Biodiversity Be Bee’s Knees for Environmental Journalists This Fall? [70]

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