Publication Items

Why the Loss of Voting Rights Is a Climate Crisis [1]

When the Supreme Court further hollowed out the Voting Rights Act this spring, it augured a historic loss of civic power for Black communities. And with that comes a further blow — to progress on the environment. For as Voices of Environmental Justice columnist Yessenia Funes explains, key to climate policy are Black voters, and the Black legislators they bring into office.

SEJ Publication Types:
Voices of Environmental Justice [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Justice [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
People & Population [11]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Why the Loss of Voting Rights Is a Climate Crisis [1]
Is Climate Disaster Insurance a Worsening Disaster? [18]

The growing disconnect between climate risk and risk insurance for homeowners is leaving millions on the knife-edge of economic disaster. But the latest TipSheet suggests that reality offers environmental journalists an opportunity to navigate the morass, community by community. Get more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources in the latest column.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [20]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
People & Population [11]
Planning & Growth [21]
Policy [12]
Water & Oceans [22]
Wildlife [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
California [24]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Is Climate Disaster Insurance a Worsening Disaster? [18]
How Attribution Science Can Help Reporters on the Heat Beat [25]

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 [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [27]
Journalism & Media [9]
Policy [12]
Science [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
International [29]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about How Attribution Science Can Help Reporters on the Heat Beat [25]
Risk Data Is There Despite Efforts To Hide It [30]

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 [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [32]
Chemicals [33]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Risk Data Is There Despite Efforts To Hide It [30]
Extreme Heat Will Get You This Summer. Watch Out! [34]

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 [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
International [29]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Extreme Heat Will Get You This Summer. Watch Out! [34]
Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [36]

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 [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Journalism & Media [9]
People & Population [11]
Policy [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
California [24]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [36]
Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [38]

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 [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Journalism & Media [9]
Science [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [38]
Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [39]

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 [40].

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [41]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Diversity [42]
Environmental Health [43]
Environmental Justice [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [27]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [9]
Pollution [13]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [44]
Science [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [45]
International [29]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [39]
What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 2 [46]

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 [47] on the government role in developing nuclear power and an earlier effort at industry rebirth.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [5]
Energy & Fuel [49]
Environmental Politics [7]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [50]
Policy [12]
Technology [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
International [29]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 2 [46]
What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 1 [47]

Is the United States in the midst of a “nuclear renaissance”? This two-part Issue Backgrounder explores that question, beginning in Part 1 with a look at the government’s part in developing nuclear power, including through subsidies, as well as why the new reactors built earlier in the 2000s didn’t really make the case for the industry’s rebirth.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [5]
Energy & Fuel [49]
Environmental Politics [7]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [50]
Policy [12]
Technology [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
International [29]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 1 [47]

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