Publication Items

Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [1]

In our annual analysis of what’s ahead on the environment beat in 2023, there are some things to count on: worsening climate disasters and continued politicking over energy transitions, but also regulatory action on greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention on “forever chemicals”). Other things are less clear: environmental rulings by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, energy impacts of war in Europe and the effectiveness of COP28 and treaty talks on plastic pollution. Read the full overview and get more in our “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [2]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [3]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [4]
Agriculture [5]
Air [6]
Biodiversity [7]
Chemicals [8]
Climate Change [9]
Disasters [10]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Justice [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Fish & Fisheries [15]
Government [16]
Health [17]
Infrastructure [18]
Journalism & Media [19]
Laws & Regulations [20]
Military [21]
Natural Resources [22]
Planning & Growth [23]
Policy [24]
Pollution [25]
Science [26]
Waste [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
International [30]
Europe [31]
Middle East [32]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [1]
EPA Proposes Revisions to FOIA Rule. They Are Not Enough [34]

When the Trump-era Environmental Protection Agency changed regulations governing freedom of information requests, journalists worried they were making it easier for political appointees to interfere with disclosures. Now the Biden administration is proposing a rules revision. But, as the latest WatchDog Opinion argues, it’s missing an opportunity to rid the regime of those critical flaws.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [16]
Journalism & Media [19]
Laws & Regulations [20]
Policy [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about EPA Proposes Revisions to FOIA Rule. They Are Not Enough [34]
Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [36]

Iconic critters like salmon, orca and wolves. Climate controversies like natural gas greenwashing and carbon auctions. And wildfire fallout like “smoke-a-geddon.” These are just some of the wide array of stories worth covering as environmental journalists scan Cascadia, the huge area encompassing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and stretching from Alaska to Utah. This special TipSheet, part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, outlines top issues in the region, offering insights, resources and story angles.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [4]
Agriculture [5]
Air [6]
Biodiversity [7]
Climate Change [9]
Consumer [38]
Disasters [10]
Diversity [39]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Environmental Studies [41]
Fish & Fisheries [15]
Food [42]
Forests [43]
Government [16]
Health [17]
Infrastructure [18]
Journalism & Media [19]
Laws & Regulations [20]
Natural Resources [22]
Planning & Growth [23]
Policy [24]
Pollution [25]
Transportation [44]
Waste [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
Alaska and Hawaii [46]
California [47]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [48]
Northwest (OR WA) [49]
International [30]
Canada [50]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [36]
Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [51]

Nearly two-thirds of the world’s rivers are impeded by dams and we keep building them in our quest for cleaner and greener sources of electricity. But as podcast producer Farha Akhtar learned while producing a recent episode, these monumental structures are having a profound impact on our planet and catastrophic consequences for many Indigenous people.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [4]
Biodiversity [7]
Chemicals [8]
Climate Change [9]
Consumer [38]
Diversity [39]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Fish & Fisheries [15]
Food [42]
Government [16]
Health [17]
Infrastructure [18]
Journalism & Media [19]
Natural Resources [22]
Pollution [25]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [53]
Science [26]
Technology [54]
Water & Oceans [28]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
International [30]
Canada [50]
Asia [55]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [51]
Determined Grantee Weaves Together Unique Project on Ash Trees, Wetlands and Baskets [56]

When the global pandemic interfered with independent journalist Gabriel Popkin’s plans for a grant-funded biodiversity reporting project on the emerald ash borer, an invasive pest threatening ash forests, he came up with a surprising solution. In this FEJ StoryLog, Popkin shares how he worked around travel shutdowns and subsequent story pitch rejections to ultimately discover an alternative storytelling option to keep his project alive.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [7]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [13]
Forests [43]
Journalism & Media [19]
Natural Resources [22]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [53]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [58]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [59]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [60]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Determined Grantee Weaves Together Unique Project on Ash Trees, Wetlands and Baskets [56]
Publication Indexes — Roadmaps to Environmental Science Journals … and News [61]

Findings from scientific research provide many a news lead on the environment beat, and even reporters not closely attuned to the world of scientific journals can use them to find stories. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox offers up one key: indexes. They can guide you to abstracts and free versions of otherwise costly publications. A list of indexes to try. Plus, a half-dozen other pro tips.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [62]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Studies [41]
Journalism & Media [19]
Science [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
International [30]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Publication Indexes — Roadmaps to Environmental Science Journals … and News [61]
2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [2]

SEJournal looks ahead to key issues in the coming year with this “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment” special report. Check out the guide’s various TipSheets and Backgrounders, an overview analysis and a report from a year-ahead panel, as well as a special look at environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [63]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [48]
Northwest (OR WA) [49]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [2]
Straddling the Narrow Divides Between Humans, Animals and Environmental Policy [64]

Prolific author-environmentalist Dave Dempsey’s new book, “Half Wild: People, Dogs, and Environmental Policy,” examines the complex boundaries between humans, wildlife and wilderness in a brief volume that includes vignettes of bears scouring trash heaps and of bourbon-fueled debates over the gap between conservationists and environmentalists. Not to mention bonus observations about his relationship with dogs. Contributor Gary Wilson has a review for our latest BookShelf.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [65]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [4]
Environmental Health [40]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [58]
International [30]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Straddling the Narrow Divides Between Humans, Animals and Environmental Policy [64]
Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [66]

The complex legal obstacles that face U.S. energy projects prompted political machinations over permitting reform in the last Congress and likely will again in the new one. The latest Backgrounder explores how the energy permitting system works (or doesn’t), why Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin may really be pushing for its reform and the reason some environmentalists concede reform may have green benefits.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [67]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [9]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [16]
Infrastructure [18]
Laws & Regulations [20]
Policy [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [58]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [68]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [59]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [60]
International [30]
Canada [50]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [66]
Particulate Air Pollution — An Old Story Made Newer, and More Local, in 2023 [69]

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set in motion a long-overdue requirement to update a key Clean Air Act rule involving fine particulate air pollution, or PM 2.5. The latest TipSheet reviews PM 2.5’s health harms and its checkered regulatory history, while offering story ideas and key resources on how to tell the story locally.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [6]
Environmental Justice [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Health [17]
Journalism & Media [19]
Laws & Regulations [20]
Pollution [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [29]
Visibility:
Public [33]
- Read more about Particulate Air Pollution — An Old Story Made Newer, and More Local, in 2023 [69]

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