Publication Items

Scouring the Skies for Methane Data [1]

Emissions of the global warming gas methane are widely tracked through satellite sensors, despite some unexpected bumps in the data-gathering effort. But a big challenge is how to interpret and use the resulting insights in your coverage. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox points out several important methane datasets and offers useful insights into how to turn them into stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Studies [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Science [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Scouring the Skies for Methane Data [1]
#SEJ2026 Live — Coverage of Conference Tours [11]

SEJournal is providing full coverage of all eight of the day-long tours from the annual Society of Environmental Journalists’ conference, April 15-18, in Chicago. In Part 2, contributors Meg Duff [12], Nathaniel Eisen [13], Nhung Nguyen [14] and Marlowe Starling [15] provide detailed reports from tours focused on the transitioning steel industry, microgrids, climate-friendly crop practices and evolving Midwestern agricultural systems.

Also check out the first round of tour coverage and read all the great work [11] from our team of early-career freelance journalists, part of SEJournal’s live #SEJ2026 Live conference reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [17]
Agriculture [18]
Air [19]
Biodiversity [20]
Chemicals [21]
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [22]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [25]
Environmental Politics [26]
Environmental Studies [5]
Food [27]
Forests [28]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Infrastructure [31]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [32]
Natural Resources [33]
People & Population [34]
Planning & Growth [35]
Policy [36]
Pollution [37]
Science [7]
Technology [38]
Transportation [39]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [41]
Wildlife [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [43]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about #SEJ2026 Live — Coverage of Conference Tours [11]
War and Pizza — #SEJ2026 in Chicago [44]

Nearly as rejuvenating as attending the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual gathering is perusing the après-conference spoof by contributing quipster David Helvarg. While it seemed he was mostly there unabashedly preselling his forthcoming book, he somehow found time to send up SEJ’s earnest sessions, lambast its blown-up tours and rib its beat dinners. Read his Chicago roast.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [18]
Air [19]
Chemicals [21]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [25]
Environmental Politics [26]
Fish & Fisheries [45]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [33]
Policy [36]
Pollution [37]
Science [7]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [43]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about War and Pizza — #SEJ2026 in Chicago [44]
Why the Silencing of Protest Matters [46]

As the Trump administration and its allies seek to stifle free speech and paint protest as domestic terrorism, Voices columnist Yessenia Funes argues that environmental journalists must heed the impact on the environmental movement we cover. Start with what happened in Standing Rock, which swept back into the news this spring. Funes explains the connection, and where we may be headed.

SEJ Publication Types:
Voices of Environmental Justice [47]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [17]
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [25]
Environmental Politics [26]
Government [29]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [33]
People & Population [34]
Policy [36]
Pollution [37]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [48]
Water & Oceans [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [43]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [49]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [50]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Why the Silencing of Protest Matters [46]
Why I Write About Extinction [51]

Reporting on species who are gone forever can be disheartening, but don’t let that stop you. After more than two decades on the extinction beat, John R. Platt has learned this work can also be deeply rewarding. He explains why he’s stuck with it and why other journalists should consider joining him in telling the stories of vanishing animals and plants.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [17]
Biodiversity [20]
Chemicals [21]
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Studies [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Pollution [37]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [48]
Science [7]
Wildlife [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Why I Write About Extinction [51]
NASA Earthdata Offers a New Look at What Satellites See Down Here [53]

The capacity to visualize Earth’s ecosystems in detail is an invaluable aid to reporting on the environment. That’s now being bolstered with an ongoing upgrade to NASA’s Earthdata program, fueled by its ranks of satellites. Reporter’s Toolbox says the refurbishment offers treasures for journalists ranging from oceans, groundwater and land surfaces to the biosphere and atmosphere.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [20]
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [33]
Science [7]
Technology [38]
Water & Oceans [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about NASA Earthdata Offers a New Look at What Satellites See Down Here [53]
EPA Enforcement Falls to Record Low Under Trump 2.0 [54]

The enforcement of environmental laws suffered a dramatic collapse during the Trump administration’s first year, several studies have found. Even the most serious violations, typically referred to the Department of Justice, are left unpursued because of DOJ staffing declines. The latest Backgrounder has the details, a look at the administration’s rationale for the decline and the implications for the environment and public health.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [55]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [19]
Chemicals [21]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [23]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [26]
Environmental Studies [5]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [32]
Policy [36]
Pollution [37]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about EPA Enforcement Falls to Record Low Under Trump 2.0 [54]
Beyond the Fires and Floods — Comprehensively Covering Disasters [56]

Reporting on extreme-weather disasters is complicated, challenging work. Besides covering immediate impacts, there’s the broader context to consider, from climate change to social and political dynamics — all while looking out for your personal safety and well-being. Environmental journalist Colleen Hagerty draws on her own and others’ front-line experiences as she shares insights and advice for telling these high-stakes stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [57]
Diversity [58]
Environmental Justice [25]
Government [29]
Journalism & Media [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
California [59]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [50]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Beyond the Fires and Floods — Comprehensively Covering Disasters [56]
Is Disaster Aid Backlog Becoming a (Blue State) Disaster? [60]

A critical logjam is emerging for post-disaster aid to U.S. states, $11 billion or more, according to some calculations. At the same time, FEMA, which dispenses much of it, is in the Trump administration’s crosshairs. TipSheet explores how this looks on the ground and how politics play into the backlog, plus offers 10 story ideas and resources for local reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [61]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [57]
Environmental Politics [26]
Government [29]
Journalism & Media [6]
Policy [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Is Disaster Aid Backlog Becoming a (Blue State) Disaster? [60]
Database Details Planetary Asset — Canada’s Forests [62]

They’re a carbon sink, a playground and a major market, but also a source of smoke pollution and pest infestation. Millions of acres of Canadian forest are a big North American story, and the latest Reporter’s Toolbox points you to a central data source that can help quantify, analyze and visualize the numbers and see the proverbial forest for the trees.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [18]
Air [19]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [26]
Forests [28]
Natural Resources [33]
Policy [36]
Pollution [37]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [9]
Canada [63]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Database Details Planetary Asset — Canada’s Forests [62]

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