Publication Items

What’s at Stake for Press Freedom in the 2026 Elections? [1]

As a critical Election Day approaches, WatchDog Opinion considers how journalism might benefit from a shift in congressional power — whether through control over appropriations, oversight and confirmations, or through passage of press freedom bills. But much remains unknown, and other things are unlikely to change, like the presidential animus toward the press. A look at some of the possibilities.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Policy [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about What’s at Stake for Press Freedom in the 2026 Elections? [1]
Tending a New Media Ecosystem [8]

When the Society of Environmental Journalists offered a platform for freelancers to have their voices heard, they showed up — and so did editors willing to lend advice and support. In the new Freelance Files column, co-editor Elyse Hauser takes a look at outcomes from a daylong connection space dedicated to freelance environmental journalists and their needs.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Tending a New Media Ecosystem [8]
Reporting From the Blue — An Ocean of Opportunities [11]

As a veteran of reporting on the marine environment, David Helvarg is encouraged by recent improvements in the quality of ocean journalism, but sees a pressing need for more hands on deck. Offering inspiration from his own career, he notes that the world’s rapidly changing oceans hold an abundance of stories and urges others to dive in and explore them.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [13]
Biodiversity [14]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [16]
Environmental Health [17]
Fish & Fisheries [18]
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [19]
Science [20]
Technology [21]
Water & Oceans [22]
Wildlife [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [24]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [10]
Canada [26]
Antarctica & Arctic [27]
Asia [28]
Australia & Oceania [29]
Central America & the Caribbean [30]
Middle East [31]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Reporting From the Blue — An Ocean of Opportunities [11]
CDC Data Is Copious, But Can You Trust It? [32]

When Reporter’s Toolbox scours a new dataset for your environment and energy reporting use, it asks a key question: Where does the data come from? This time, the answer serves more as a warning. The latest column looks at a previously stellar data source — the CDC — and finds it lacking. Here’s what you need to know.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [34]
Environmental Politics [35]
Government [3]
Health [36]
Journalism & Media [4]
Policy [5]
Science [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about CDC Data Is Copious, But Can You Trust It? [32]
Bringing Personal Perspective to Disaster [37]

TV journalist Jacob Soboroff grew up in Pacific Palisades, so when the Los Angeles neighborhood was swept by wildfires in 2024, he reported from familiar sites as they burned. He writes about the experience in “Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s New Age of Disaster,” whose strength BookShelf contributor Jennifer Weeks says is its street-level descriptions of chasing the fast-developing story. Read her review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Journalism & Media [4]
People & Population [39]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
California [40]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Bringing Personal Perspective to Disaster [37]
Is Your Local Wildlife Refuge a Refuge No More? [41]

There’s a long history of hunting and fishing in the federal refuge and hatchery system. But the Trump administration has now thrown the doors wide, opening millions of acres in hundreds of locales across much of the country. TipSheet examines what’s missing in this dramatic policy shift, and offers insights and resources for reporting on the impact on the nearest refuge to you.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [14]
Environmental Health [17]
Environmental Politics [35]
Fish & Fisheries [18]
Forests [43]
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [19]
Policy [5]
Wildlife [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Is Your Local Wildlife Refuge a Refuge No More? [41]
Behind the Crime Rings Trafficking Sand [44]

An investigative journalism pair shone a light on an important but rarely reported subject with huge environmental consequences: the illegal trafficking of massive quantities of natural sand from African countries. Read an interview with Inside Story about their award-winning reporting and learn what surprised them most and how they overcame the story’s unique challenges.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [46]
Environmental Health [17]
Environmental Justice [47]
Natural Resources [19]
Region:
International [10]
Africa [48]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Behind the Crime Rings Trafficking Sand [44]
Grazing Data Unlocks Public Land Stories [49]

The Interior Department keeps an extensive database of thousands of permits it issues to use federal lands for grazing livestock. And as the latest Reporter’s Toolbox notes, that data can readily be used as an investigative tool to look for one thing the government would rather the public not see — a penchant for permit partiality.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [50]
Economy & Business [46]
Environmental Politics [35]
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [19]
Policy [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [51]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Grazing Data Unlocks Public Land Stories [49]
Closing the Trust Gap With Environmental Justice Communities [52]

Communities impacted by environmental justice issues often view the media with wariness deeply rooted in history. But some journalists and EJ advocates are working together to forge a better relationship. While recognizing the challenges, they offer encouragement with a set of guiding principles for reporters who want to gain the trust of communities and tell accurate, respectful and impactful environmental stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [13]
Climate Change [15]
Environmental Justice [47]
Health [36]
Journalism & Media [4]
People & Population [39]
Planning & Growth [53]
Policy [5]
Pollution [54]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [55]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [24]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Closing the Trust Gap With Environmental Justice Communities [52]
Counting Heat Deaths When Official Data Is Deceptive [56]

Climate change’s real impact is difficult to measure when it comes to heat-related illness and death. That’s due, in large part, to the way health agencies count — or actually undercount — the numbers. But the latest TipSheet spotlights an approach journalists can use to tally the true toll. Plus, additional reporting resources to cover the story in your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Health [36]
Journalism & Media [4]
People & Population [39]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Counting Heat Deaths When Official Data Is Deceptive [56]

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