By MIKE DUNNE

Global warming or climate change has been a topic simmering on the environmental journalism burners for quite some time. As 2007 began, it boiled over, becoming front-page news across the nation.

There was a steady stream of stories written about an upcoming report by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, then stories about what the report really said followed up by stories about possible regional implications.

 

 By JOANN M. VALENTI

Without a doubt, Everything's Cool, a documentary on climate change, most aptly defined the 25th Annual Sundance Film Festival goers' experience in Utah's below freezing January weather. Record-setting temperatures dropped into negative double digits, an especially challenging experience for the usual hoards of film industry representatives and celebrities from Los Angeles.

 DAVID POULSON

When Darren Samuelsohn heard "global climate change" during January's State of the Union address, he suspected it was the first time the president had uttered the phrase in his annual assessment of the country.

The Greenwire senior reporter verified his hunch by combing through the six others. And his story was the first to lead with that fact.

Seattle Times lets the cat out of the bag with an April 7, 2009, story describing the secret agreement between the administration of Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Canada-based TransAlta.

 By BILL DAWSON

"All news, all the time" was the slogan of a once all-news radio station of my acquaintance. A quick Google search reveals that the phrase and several variations are still around.

Given the recent rise to prominence of the climate issue, even veteran reporters familiar with the often-surprising meanders of the environment beat's path may have wondered if "all climate news, all the time" could be the beat's future.

 

 

 By CATHERINE COONEY

You can feel it the minute you step inside: the cool concrete flooring, oversized windows, neutral colors and low lighting provide a sense of open space and cleanliness. The modern-styled architecture seems out of place in Washington, D.C., especially on a hot, smoggy, July afternoon. I'm in Lake Tahoe, I thought, as I walked into the school building where my daughter's summer camp was held.

 

 By BUD WARD

It was all climate change, all the time – 24/7 as they say. SEJ's 17th annual conference, at Stanford University Sept. 5- 9, was a veritable smorgasbord, an unending feast, for those on the climate change beat. But only for those who actually wanted that particular diet, you understand. Dozens of ostensibly unrelated environmental issues – as well as the delicious "tools of the trade" sessions on new media and like – were addressed at the conference.

 

 

 By CHRIS BOWMAN

The Society of Environmental Journalists broke major ground at this year's national conference in attracting 18 news executives to day-long dialogues with experts on global warming, one of the biggest and most difficult-to-tell stories of our time.

Watch for the National Academies to release more climate change and energy reports this month, on alternative liquid transportation fuels, energy efficiency, renewables and economic impacts of greenhouse gas mitigation.