Publication Items

Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [1]

In our annual look-ahead on the environment and energy beat in 2024, we see a bumpy ride on global climate change talks coupled with more climate-driven disasters, even amid the evolving energy transition. And we see possible risks to ocean life from deep sea mining and continuing risks to human life from pollution of air, water and land. Insights in our overview [1] and our full “2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment & Energy [2]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [3]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [4]
Biodiversity [5]
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [7]
Disasters [8]
Economy & Business [9]
Energy & Fuel [10]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Forests [14]
Government [15]
Health [16]
Infrastructure [17]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Natural Resources [19]
Policy [20]
Pollution [21]
Transportation [22]
Waste [23]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [1]
Why Environmental Reporters Need To ‘Get’ the Budget Process [28]

When Congress debates funding — or cutting — government programs that deal with environmental and energy issues, journalists on those beats should pay attention. A special Backgrounder, part of our 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment and Energy, walks you through the (not so boring) budget process — rules, timelines, dealmaking — to help find the angles on what could be a major story of the coming year. Plus, a primer on budget primers.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [29]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [15]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Policy [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Why Environmental Reporters Need To ‘Get’ the Budget Process [28]
Reporting on Environmental Solutions and Equity — at a Watershed Scale [30]

Reporting on interconnected ecosystems lends itself to better environmental stories, and so tracing how water moves across landscapes, communities, industries and regulatory schemes can help the public connect the dots. That’s how Annie Ropeik, who helps run the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, sees the watershed beat. She shares expert views and offers insights for environment journalists to use in their reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [32]
Agriculture [33]
Climate Change [7]
Diversity [34]
Economy & Business [9]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [35]
Government [15]
Health [16]
Infrastructure [17]
Journalism & Media [36]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Natural Resources [19]
Planning & Growth [37]
Policy [20]
Pollution [21]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [38]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [39]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [40]
Northwest (OR WA) [41]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [42]
International [26]
Canada [43]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Reporting on Environmental Solutions and Equity — at a Watershed Scale [30]
Seabed Mining May Dredge Up Real Minerals, Fishy Worries in 2024 [44]

The mining of the ocean floor has stirred up significant debate, much of which clouds the realities of whether and to what degree it would cause ecological harm to one of the world’s greatest resources. This week’s TipSheet looks more closely at the controversy, which may well come to a head in the coming year. The latest entry in SEJournal’s 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment and Energy.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [32]
Biodiversity [5]
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [9]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Politics [13]
Fish & Fisheries [46]
Food [47]
Government [15]
Journalism & Media [36]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Natural Resources [19]
Policy [20]
Pollution [21]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Seabed Mining May Dredge Up Real Minerals, Fishy Worries in 2024 [44]
High-Risk Reporting Yields Results on Palm Oil Investigation [48]

The devastation caused by the Amazonian palm oil industry was at the heart of an investigation by Mongabay reporter Karla Mendes. But first she had to face hostile sources, intransigent regulators and a robbery attempt. Ultimately, the project not only won a reporting prize from the Society of Environmental Journalists but brought global awareness and government action. Her experience, in Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [33]
Chemicals [6]
Economy & Business [9]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Food [47]
Forests [14]
Government [15]
Health [16]
Journalism & Media [36]
Natural Resources [19]
People & Population [50]
Pollution [21]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
International [26]
South America [51]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about High-Risk Reporting Yields Results on Palm Oil Investigation [48]
Exposed for Pig Pollution, Nebraska Governor Slimes the Reporter [52]

When the governor of Nebraska personally attacked an investigative reporter who’d covered environmental problems in his family business, it drew a national spotlight and a quick response from free press supporters, including the Society of Environmental Journalists. WatchDog Opinion looks at what happened and observes that politicians’ name-calling of journalists has an unfortunate history — but must never be allowed to stop the truthtelling.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [33]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [15]
Journalism & Media [36]
Policy [20]
Pollution [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [39]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Exposed for Pig Pollution, Nebraska Governor Slimes the Reporter [52]
Do Home Buyers Have a Right to Flood Risk Disclosure? [54]

In the second of a two-parter for our 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy [2], the latest TipSheet considers how local environmental journalists can make news out of the state-by-state patchwork of flood risk disclosure laws amid rising climate extremes. A dozen-and-a-half story ideas and reporting resources on the topic. Plus, see part one [55] on climate and insurance.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [56]
Disasters [8]
Government [15]
Infrastructure [17]
Journalism & Media [36]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Planning & Growth [37]
Policy [20]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Do Home Buyers Have a Right to Flood Risk Disclosure? [54]
Electric Vehicles Will Be Burning Rubber in 2024 [57]

As global sales of electric vehicles surge, the positive impact on climate change emissions could be a critical benefit. But as our Backgrounder points out, it’s not as simple as that. There are challenges with politics, tax laws, mineral access, related pollution regulations and union jobs. Get an overview of the issue, in this latest entry in our expanding 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [29]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [56]
Energy & Fuel [10]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [15]
Journalism & Media [36]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Natural Resources [19]
Policy [20]
Pollution [21]
Science [58]
Technology [59]
Transportation [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
International [26]
Asia [60]
Europe [61]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Electric Vehicles Will Be Burning Rubber in 2024 [57]
Prying Open the Statehouse Doors [62]

Reporting on environmental stories often leads to the state legislature, where key material can be frustratingly hard to access. Whether that’s because the state is deliberately hiding information, has poor systems for sharing it or isn’t even tracking it, there are ways to get what you need. Four seasoned environment reporters offer tips, tricks and commiseration.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [4]
Economy & Business [9]
Energy & Fuel [10]
Government [15]
Infrastructure [17]
Journalism & Media [36]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Natural Resources [19]
Policy [20]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
California [63]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [39]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [64]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [65]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Prying Open the Statehouse Doors [62]
Home Insurance Likely To Be a 2024 Climate Story Near You [55]

In the first of a two-parter for our 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment & Energy, TipSheet looks at what climate-driven disasters mean for the home insurance market. Storms, floods and fire rip through communities, yet a federal insurance program falls short, lawmakers shy away from real reform and insurers grow hesitant to cover the risks, while homeowners often attempt to rebuild in the same problematic locales. Plus, see part two [54] on extreme weather and insurance.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [56]
Disasters [8]
Economy & Business [9]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [15]
Journalism & Media [36]
Laws & Regulations [18]
People & Population [50]
Planning & Growth [37]
Policy [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [25]
California [63]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [64]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [42]
Visibility:
Public [27]
- Read more about Home Insurance Likely To Be a 2024 Climate Story Near You [55]

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