Publication Items

How Attribution Science Can Help Reporters on the Heat Beat [1]

With 2026 shaping up to be an exceptional El Niño year, expect lots of record-breaking heat waves and other extreme weather. But climate change will also contribute. Explaining the role of both is essential to complete coverage. Journalist Ethan Brown shares tips and resources for using climate attribution science as a powerful reporting tool. Plus, five questions to ask while covering the next extreme climate event.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Environmental Studies [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Policy [8]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about How Attribution Science Can Help Reporters on the Heat Beat [1]
Risk Data Is There Despite Efforts To Hide It [13]

Hazmat risk data has long been subject to blackout efforts by industry. And now, Trump administration allies may change the rules to make existing information even harder to get. But Reporter’s Toolbox knows where journalists can still find the goods to support their reporting. Read on to learn about risks to the program in question — and Toolbox workarounds.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [15]
Chemicals [16]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [17]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Policy [8]
Pollution [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Risk Data Is There Despite Efforts To Hide It [13]
Extreme Heat Will Get You This Summer. Watch Out! [20]

With the approach of what looks like an unusually hot summer, the latest TipSheet offers guidance on covering extreme heat, starting with the step-by-step basics of understanding heat’s health impacts, from dehydration to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Plus, get 10 story ideas and reporting resources to cover the dangers of extreme heat locally.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Extreme Heat Will Get You This Summer. Watch Out! [20]
Why Environmental Journalists Should Care About the Presidential Records Act [23]

It may not seem at first glance like an environmental matter, but the Trump Justice Department’s declaration that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional potentially undermines the preservation of key administration records, warns WatchDog Opinion. That includes all kinds of environmental policy decision-making by the president, White House and other executive branch staff. Here’s why we need the act.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [17]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Why Environmental Journalists Should Care About the Presidential Records Act [23]
Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [25]

In the wake of two major disasters, beat reporters at The Washington Post examined systemic failures in response and recovery, and the human toll for affected communities. Journalist Brianna Sacks shares what she learned from those investigations, which won a large market award for beat reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists. Read our Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Journalism & Media [7]
People & Population [27]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [28]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [29]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [25]
Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [30]

When it comes to tracking weather phenomena from heat waves and tornadoes to wildfire smoke or storm surge, environmental journalists could hardly do better than the vast array of data from the National Weather Service, writes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. A tour of data maps and viewers, forecasts and weather insights from the large scale to the local.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Journalism & Media [7]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [30]
Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [31]

Today’s teens are growing up in a world of conspicuous climate change, often directly affected by its consequences. Despite their youth, some are at the forefront of the fight against this threat. Freelance journalist and author Meera Subramanian — co-creator of a new nonfiction graphic novel about young climate campaigners — on teens as sources, activism as a topic and the pleasures of collaboration. See a sample of the book [32].

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Biodiversity [34]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Diversity [35]
Environmental Health [36]
Environmental Justice [37]
Environmental Politics [5]
Environmental Studies [6]
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [7]
Pollution [19]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [38]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [39]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [31]
National Seashores Are a Secret Summer Treasure [40]

While less heralded than its national park system, the United States abounds in waterfront treasures that are part of the national seashore and lakeshore program. The latest TipSheet takes you on a guided tour of more than a dozen, from barrier islands and dunes to tidepools and turtles. Plus, a half-dozen reporting ideas for your own region.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [17]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Natural Resources [41]
Water & Oceans [42]
Region:
California [28]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [43]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [44]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [39]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [29]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [45]
International [11]
Canada [46]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about National Seashores Are a Secret Summer Treasure [40]
What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 2 [47]

Is the United States in the midst of a “nuclear renaissance”? This two-part Backgrounder explores the question, with a look at next-gen reactor design, the (lack of) independence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and what to do with nuclear waste. Plus, see Part 1 [48] on the government role in developing nuclear power and an earlier effort at industry rebirth.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [50]
Environmental Politics [5]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [51]
Policy [8]
Technology [52]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 2 [47]
Scouring the Skies for Methane Data [53]

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 [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Health [36]
Environmental Studies [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Scouring the Skies for Methane Data [53]

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