Publication Items

Why I Write About Extinction [1]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Environmental Studies [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Pollution [9]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [10]
Science [11]
Wildlife [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Why I Write About Extinction [1]
Fire Sleuths Can Spark Story Ideas With Wildland Urban Interface Data Maps [16]

Communities surrounded by forest can be a beautiful place to live … or a wildfire trap. Environmental journalists can readily map and identify these so-called wildland urban interfaces through a federal government resource, writes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. More on this data mapping tool and how to use it to track your area’s risk, explore historical trends and layer other data.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [18]
Environmental Studies [7]
Forests [19]
Government [20]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [21]
Planning & Growth [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [23]
California [24]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Fire Sleuths Can Spark Story Ideas With Wildland Urban Interface Data Maps [16]
EPA Enforcement Falls to Record Low Under Trump 2.0 [25]

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 [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [27]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Economy & Business [28]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Politics [30]
Environmental Studies [7]
Government [20]
Health [31]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [32]
Policy [33]
Pollution [9]
Waste [34]
Water & Oceans [35]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about EPA Enforcement Falls to Record Low Under Trump 2.0 [25]
Trump Tries (and Fails) To Disappear Climate Disaster Data [36]

Even though the United States suffers multiple billion-dollar climate change-related catastrophes, the federal government has ceased sharing the data publicly. And it’s far from the only example of environmental data being blacked out, notes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. But at least in some cases, civil society organizations have rescued the information and put it back online. See what’s still available.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [18]
Environmental Politics [30]
Environmental Studies [7]
Government [20]
Science [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Trump Tries (and Fails) To Disappear Climate Disaster Data [36]
Solutions Stories a Compass for Readers [37]

Get more Voices of Environmental Justice in 2026, as we increase column frequency to bimonthly. And for her first contribution of the year, writer Yessenia Funes calls on climate reporters to offer audiences a sense of hope by leaning into solutions narratives, hard-hitting and data-driven stories that hold the powerful accountable. Expert advice on how to make solutions journalism work.

SEJ Publication Types:
Voices of Environmental Justice [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [18]
Economy & Business [28]
Environmental Studies [7]
Health [31]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [24]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Solutions Stories a Compass for Readers [37]
Spring Is Coming. How Silent Will It Be? [39]

Bird populations remain in steep decline, mostly due to human activity. But as the latest TipSheet reports, reporting on the disappearance of our avian residents can lead journalists to some bread-and-butter environmental stories: whether about local ecosystems, climate change, chemicals, land disturbance and more. Read on for more, including nearly a dozen-and-a-half story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Studies [7]
Health [31]
Wildlife [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Canada [41]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Spring Is Coming. How Silent Will It Be? [39]
Top Environment and Energy Topics To Watch in 2026 [42]

Explore our 10th annual Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy, as we scour the beat to identify 15 top stories to put on your radar for 2026. Our updated format for the special report provides a quick read and a broad scope — with insights on climate change and environmental justice, bird and insect declines, data centers and deep sea mining, deregulation and PFAS and much more. Get started here [42].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [44]
Air [27]
Biodiversity [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [18]
Economy & Business [28]
Energy & Fuel [45]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [46]
Environmental Politics [30]
Environmental Studies [7]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Forests [19]
Government [20]
Health [31]
Infrastructure [48]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [32]
Military [49]
Natural Resources [50]
Policy [33]
Pollution [9]
Science [11]
Technology [51]
Waste [34]
Water & Oceans [35]
Wildlife [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [23]
California [24]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [52]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [53]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [54]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [55]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [56]
Northwest (OR WA) [57]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [58]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [59]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Top Environment and Energy Topics To Watch in 2026 [42]
Citizen Pollution Monitors Face Industry Pushback, Legal Threats [60]

A steep decline in the enforcement of environmental laws means the monitoring of pollution by citizens is more important than ever. But as the latest TipSheet notes, some states have passed laws that severely constrain the use of citizen monitoring or the sharing of findings. Get the backstory, along with top reporting angles and resources for finding monitoring in your area.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [27]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [46]
Environmental Politics [30]
Environmental Studies [7]
Government [20]
Health [31]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [32]
Pollution [9]
Science [11]
Water & Oceans [35]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [58]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Citizen Pollution Monitors Face Industry Pushback, Legal Threats [60]
Database of Flood Events Helps Cover Catastrophes, Past or Present [61]

A massive trove of mappable water data from the U.S. Geological Survey offers reporters resources to cover present-day flooding threats, compare them to past flood events or help prepare reporting for tomorrow’s disasters. According to the latest Reporter’s Toolbox, its various tools let you pinpoint immediate flooding, map future flood hazards and even configure phone alerts for breaking events.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [18]
Environmental Studies [7]
Government [20]
Journalism & Media [8]
Water & Oceans [35]
Wildlife [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Database of Flood Events Helps Cover Catastrophes, Past or Present [61]
Queer Ecology — A Powerful Lens for Reporting on Environmental Injustice [62]

Queer ecology is an evolving field that challenges traditional assumptions in science and explores LGBTQ+ experiences in an ecological context. It’s easy to catch your audience’s attention with stories about transitioning clownfish or same-sex albatross parenting. But as contributor Isaias Hernandez explains, queer ecology also offers journalists an important perspective for covering a range of environmental issues, from climate risk to pollution exposure, and reimagining environmental narratives.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [44]
Air [27]
Biodiversity [4]
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [18]
Diversity [63]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [46]
Environmental Politics [30]
Environmental Studies [7]
Health [31]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [21]
Planning & Growth [22]
Science [11]
Wildlife [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Queer Ecology — A Powerful Lens for Reporting on Environmental Injustice [62]

Pages