Publication Items

Disinformation Presents New Challenges to Environmental Journalists [1]

An explosion of deliberately misleading information has hit the environmental journalism beat, argues the new Backgrounder. A look at how today’s untruth industry has evolved from that of the past, particularly in the area of climate change, and how reporters have now turned it into its own specialty coverage area. Plus, seven tips on what you can do to handle disinformation on your beat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Environmental Studies [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Policy [8]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Disinformation Presents New Challenges to Environmental Journalists [1]
Weather Nerd ‘Looks Up’ and Finds Science, Meaning in Stormy Skies [12]

Gen Z weather hotshot Matthew Cappucci recounts his rapid, if uneven, rise into major media meteorology in his new book, “Looking Up.” Along the way, he talks about weather — and the science behind it — in a way that reporters who cover storms can make good use of. Jenny Weeks reviews the volume for BookShelf.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [14]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Weather Nerd ‘Looks Up’ and Finds Science, Meaning in Stormy Skies [12]
When Sizing Up Threats to Biodiversity, Databases Can Help [15]

Biodiversity is on the minds of many this week as international biodiversity treaty talks take place in Montreal. For environmental journalists covering the topic, there are a number of databases readily available that track endangered species in the United States and globally. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox has a helpful list. Plus, visit our new biodiversity “Topics on the Beat” [16] page and keep on top of the latest biodiversity headlines [17] with EJToday.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [19]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Politics [5]
Environmental Studies [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Science [9]
Wildlife [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [22]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about When Sizing Up Threats to Biodiversity, Databases Can Help [15]
As Concern Over Methane Mounts, Emission Controls Yield Stories [23]

While carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas most often in the news, methane has greater warming power and accounts for a big chunk of the current increase in global warming. Now, growing regulatory pressure may help shift that focus and could drive more local environmental reporting, per the latest TipSheet. The backstory, plus reporting ideas and resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [25]
Air [26]
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [27]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Politics [5]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [28]
Natural Resources [29]
Policy [8]
Pollution [30]
Waste [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [22]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about As Concern Over Methane Mounts, Emission Controls Yield Stories [23]
Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [32]

When U.S. communities become unlivable due to climate change impacts, can residents count on government relocation assistance — and are those most in need of help actually getting it? Those questions kickstarted a year-long investigation led by three high-powered journalism organizations. Now they’re sharing their reporting resources toolkit and inviting other journalists to widen the coverage with more local stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [14]
Diversity [34]
Economy & Business [4]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Justice [35]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [36]
Health [37]
Infrastructure [38]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [28]
People & Population [39]
Planning & Growth [40]
Policy [8]
Water & Oceans [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Alaska and Hawaii [42]
California [43]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [44]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [45]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [46]
Northwest (OR WA) [47]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [48]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [49]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [32]
New ‘Climate Trace’ Emissions Database Unveiled at COP27 [50]

A new way for journalists to get more accurate numbers on global greenhouse gas emissions was introduced by former Vice President Al Gore at the recent United Nations’ climate change gathering in Egypt. Reporter’s Toolbox looks under the hood of Climate Trace, which is the result of work by more than 100 collaborators and compiles data from some 300 specialized satellites and 11,000 sensors.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Journalism & Media [7]
Technology [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [22]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about New ‘Climate Trace’ Emissions Database Unveiled at COP27 [50]
On Reporter’s Privilege, Justice Department Takes a Step Forward [52]

The Department of Justice’s new regulations around reporter’s privilege — the protection of journalistic sources and notes — is a noteworthy advance. But the WatchDog Opinion column calls for more: a federal shield law that is less vulnerable to weakening by subsequent administrations. A take on the new regs, the state of current law and prospects for congressional action.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [54]
Government [36]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [28]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about On Reporter’s Privilege, Justice Department Takes a Step Forward [52]
Coal Ash — An Overlooked Toxic Story That Won’t Go Away [55]

Obama-era regulation of the toxic waste product coal ash, which was watered down in the face of resistance from coal and electric utilities and further weakened by the Trump administration, has meant many coal-fired power plants simply ignore disposal requirements. That’s per a new report that the latest TipSheet writes can offer journalists useful ways to report an overlooked environmental story in their area.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [27]
Environmental Health [20]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [36]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [28]
Pollution [30]
Waste [31]
Water & Oceans [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [48]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Coal Ash — An Overlooked Toxic Story That Won’t Go Away [55]
Growing Our Leadership Team To Serve SEJ Members [56]

SEJ's new president of the board of directors, Colorado-based public radio journalist Luke Runyon (pictured, left), shares what the board has been up to recently, introduces the Leadership Committee and offers insight into where the organization is headed in 2023.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [7]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Growing Our Leadership Team To Serve SEJ Members [56]
New Kolbert Volume Addresses Value of Human Efforts To Control Nature [58]

When engineers reversed the Chicago River, they also upended a hydrologic system that years later required electrification to repel an invasive species threatening a major fishery. This is but one example from the latest book by New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert of the unintended consequences of human actions to dominate nature that may solve one problem only to create another. BookShelf contributor Gary Wilson has a review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Health [20]
Fish & Fisheries [59]
Infrastructure [38]
Natural Resources [29]
Planning & Growth [40]
Policy [8]
Science [9]
Technology [51]
Water & Oceans [41]
Wildlife [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [44]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [48]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about New Kolbert Volume Addresses Value of Human Efforts To Control Nature [58]

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