Publication Items

‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Could Undo Biden’s Climate Progress [1]

A single “reconciliation” bill, promised by House Speaker Mike Johnson in the first 100 days of the new Congress, could wipe out the outgoing administration’s climate ambitions. EJ TransitionWatch explains the budget process and spotlights a half dozen energy and environment provisions — affecting offshore drilling, methane emissions, electric vehicle incentives and more — that could be in the measure if the Trump administration gets its way.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Natural Resources [8]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Could Undo Biden’s Climate Progress [1]
Speaking Up for the First Amendment [12]

Many journalists can’t imagine themselves writing an opinion piece, but veteran reporter Tim Wheeler suggests they reconsider. With public distrust of news media mounting and government willingness to inform plummeting, Wheeler says it’s more important than ever for journalists to explain what they do and why it matters. Advice and an annotated example: How to put on the opinion writer’s hat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [14]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Speaking Up for the First Amendment [12]
There Has Never Been a Better Time for Environmental Journalism [15]

Environmental devastation. Corporate capture. Disinformation’s diffusion. Hostility to news media. All this may seem overwhelming for environmental reporters. But for WatchDog Opinion, it means that journalism must rise to the challenge, take the truth seriously, report with conviction, cover corruption and tell the stories of the many whose stories are not being told. A case for why Trump 2.0 presents that opportunity.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [5]
Journalism & Media [14]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about There Has Never Been a Better Time for Environmental Journalism [15]
Assessing AI’s Importance in Journalism and Teaching — Part 1 [17]

Like with any new technology, the future of artificial intelligence in the newsroom and the classroom inspired excitement and fear for one journalism educator. But after experimenting with it at the University of Michigan, EJ Academy co-editor Emilia Askari gained practical insight into its smart use for teaching young reporters. Lessons on AI journalism, in Part 1 of a two-part series [18].

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [14]
Technology [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [21]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Assessing AI’s Importance in Journalism and Teaching — Part 1 [17]
What Biden Rules Could Congress Unplug With Review Act? [22]

As the Biden White House rushes to enact environment and energy policy before Inauguration Day, an obscure law leaves room for the incoming administration to claw them back. At risk: strengthened emissions standards for vehicles and power, tougher energy efficiency standards and plans to replace lead pipes. The latest EJ TransitionWatch explains how the reversal works — and why it might not.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [23]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [24]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [25]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Policy [9]
Pollution [26]
Technology [20]
Transportation [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about What Biden Rules Could Congress Unplug With Review Act? [22]
What Will a Second Trump Term Mean for Environmental Justice? [29]

An incoming Trump administration hostile to the very idea of environmental justice likely means the rollback of numerous policies and regulations designed to protect disadvantaged communities, cuts to an important “whole-of-government” initiative and downsizing of key federal environmental justice offices. The latest EJ TransitionWatch examines what’s at stake. And for more, see our Topics on the Beat page on environmental justice [30].

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [23]
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Health [32]
Infrastructure [25]
Laws & Regulations [7]
People & Population [33]
Policy [9]
Pollution [26]
Waste [34]
Water & Oceans [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about What Will a Second Trump Term Mean for Environmental Justice? [29]
Trauma Specialist Offers Ospreys As ‘Gateway Drug’ to Nature [35]

Therapist and artist Pamela Lowell spent several months observing and banding ospreys, but rather than offer the experience up as a scientific account, she turns it into a lighthearted memoir that aims to explore and explain a range of wildlife and environmental issues through art, insight and empathy. BookShelf editor Tom Henry has a review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [37]
Biodiversity [38]
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Health [39]
Environmental Studies [40]
Wildlife [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [42]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Trauma Specialist Offers Ospreys As ‘Gateway Drug’ to Nature [35]
SEJ Is Here for You, Navigating What’s Ahead [43]

Meet SEJ’s newly elected board president, Halle Parker, an environment reporter for New Orleans Public Radio. In her inaugural President’s Report, Halle shares 2025 plans to raise SEJ leader voices to better protect our members and advocate for our industry — plus details on new, virtual office hours, a major funding milestone and how you can help support and shape SEJ’s future.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [44]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about SEJ Is Here for You, Navigating What’s Ahead [43]
Beat Reporter Spotlights Costs of California's Environmental Reckoning [45]

The fossil fuel industry’s outsized climate policy role in the U.S.’s most populous state is the core of award-winning coverage from investigative journalist Aaron Cantú for nonprofit newsroom Capital & Main. In the new Inside Story Q&A, Cantú shares some of what challenged him in his reporting, what surprised him most and a lesson learned.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [24]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [14]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Natural Resources [8]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [47]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Beat Reporter Spotlights Costs of California's Environmental Reckoning [45]
To Give a Goldfish Agency — The Joys (and Perils) of Writing on Nonhuman Life [48]

Stories focused on nonhuman animals are a quintessential part of environmental journalism. But how writers approach these stories is evolving, in step with changing views about animal consciousness and agency. Science journalist and author Karen Pinchin explores this trend and talks about anthropomorphism, anthropodenialism, metaphors, language, writing from the perspective of animal protagonists and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [38]
Journalism & Media [14]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [49]
Science [50]
Water & Oceans [28]
Wildlife [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [21]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about To Give a Goldfish Agency — The Joys (and Perils) of Writing on Nonhuman Life [48]

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