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Top Environment and Energy Topics To Watch in 2026 [1]

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 [1].

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJ News [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [3]
Agriculture [4]
Air [5]
Biodiversity [6]
Chemicals [7]
Climate Change [8]
Disasters [9]
Economy & Business [10]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Justice [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Environmental Studies [15]
Fish & Fisheries [16]
Forests [17]
Government [18]
Health [19]
Infrastructure [20]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Military [23]
Natural Resources [24]
Policy [25]
Pollution [26]
Science [27]
Technology [28]
Waste [29]
Water & Oceans [30]
Wildlife [31]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [32]
Alaska and Hawaii [33]
California [34]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [35]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [36]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [37]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [38]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [39]
Northwest (OR WA) [40]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [42]
International [43]
Visibility: 
Public [44]
  • Read more about Top Environment and Energy Topics To Watch in 2026 [1]

From Words to Frames — Writer Learns To Wield Power of Visual Storytelling [45]

When writer Gulnaz Khan saw how global warming drove both natural loss and spiritual breaks for surrounding human communities, it started her on a PBS documentary series exploring sacred sites around the world threatened by climate change. But she also undertook another odyssey, one from writer to visual storyteller. What she learned on her journey from text to screen, in the new EJ InSight column.

SEJ Publication Types: 
EJ InSight [46]
Topics on the Beat: 
Agriculture [4]
Biodiversity [6]
Climate Change [8]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Justice [13]
Food [47]
Forests [17]
Government [18]
Health [19]
Journalism & Media [21]
Natural Resources [24]
People & Population [48]
Pollution [26]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [49]
Science [27]
Waste [29]
Water & Oceans [30]
Wildlife [31]
Region: 
International [43]
Africa [50]
Asia [51]
South America [52]
Visibility: 
Public [44]
  • Read more about From Words to Frames — Writer Learns To Wield Power of Visual Storytelling [45]

‘Feeding Frenzy’ Is Encouraging Sign For Struggling Calif. Brown Pelicans [53]

"On a jagged coastline in Central California, brown pelicans gather on rock promontories, packed in like edgy commuters as they take flight to feed on a vast school of fish just offshore. The water churns in whitecaps as the big-billed birds plunge beneath the surface in search of northern anchovies, Pacific sardines and mackerel."

Biodiversity [6]
Fish & Fisheries [16]
Water & Oceans [30]
Wildlife [31]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
California [34]
Source: AP [54], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about ‘Feeding Frenzy’ Is Encouraging Sign For Struggling Calif. Brown Pelicans [53]

Startup Says It Has Found a Hidden Source of Geothermal Energy in Nev. [55]

"A geothermal startup said Thursday that it has hit gold in Nevada — metaphorically speaking. Zanskar, which uses AI to find hidden geothermal resources deep underground, says that it has identified a new commercially viable site for a potential power plant. The discovery, the company claims, is the first of its kind made by the industry in decades."

Energy & Fuel [11]
Infrastructure [20]
Natural Resources [24]
Technology [28]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Source: WIRED [56], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about Startup Says It Has Found a Hidden Source of Geothermal Energy in Nev. [55]

Interior Dept Finally Releases High Official’s Financial Disclosure [57]

"After a long delay, the Interior Department’s Office of Government Ethics last week provided Public Domain the financial disclosure of Karen Budd-Falen, a high-ranking Trump appointee at DOI." "Karen Budd-Falen, a self-described “cowboy lawyer," owns ranch operations and real estate rentals. Her family has also had sizable investments in oil companies."

Climate Change [8]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Politics [14]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [24]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Source: Public Domain [58], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about Interior Dept Finally Releases High Official’s Financial Disclosure [57]

Farmers Block Mexico’s Congress With Tractors To Protest Water Law Proposal [59]

"Dozens of farmers drove their tractors in a caravan to Mexico City and blocked an entrance to Mexico’s Congress on Wednesday to protest a new national water law that imposes stricter controls on water use."

Activism [3]
Agriculture [4]
Climate Change [8]
Environmental Politics [14]
Infrastructure [20]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [48]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
Mexico [60]
Source: AP [61], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about Farmers Block Mexico’s Congress With Tractors To Protest Water Law Proposal [59]

"Deadly Asian Floods Are No Fluke. They’re A Climate Warning, Scientists Say" [62]

"Southeast Asia is being pummeled by unusually severe floods this year, as late-arriving storms and relentless rains wreak havoc that has caught many places off guard."

Climate Change [8]
Disasters [9]
People & Population [48]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
International [43]
Asia [51]
Australia & Oceania [63]
Source: AP [64], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about "Deadly Asian Floods Are No Fluke. They’re A Climate Warning, Scientists Say" [62]

"New Report Warns of Critical Climate Risks in Arab Region" [65]

"As global warming accelerates, about 480 million people in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula face intensifying and in some places unsurvivable heat, as well as drought, famine and the risk of mass displacement, the World Meteorological Organization warned Thursday."

Agriculture [4]
Climate Change [8]
Disasters [9]
Environmental Health [12]
People & Population [48]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
Africa [50]
Middle East [66]
Source: Inside Climate News [67], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about "New Report Warns of Critical Climate Risks in Arab Region" [65]

"The Grid Storage Industry Set A Wild Goal For 2025 — And Then Crushed It" [68]

"In 2017, U.S. grid storage developers promised they could deliver 35 gigawatts by 2025. They beat their target and made batteries a key power-sector player."

Economy & Business [10]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Infrastructure [20]
Technology [28]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Source: Canary Media [69], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about "The Grid Storage Industry Set A Wild Goal For 2025 — And Then Crushed It" [68]

Chesapeake Bay Leaders Agree on Longer Timeline and Tribal Role in Cleanup [70]

"The revised watershed agreement extends pollution-reduction targets and bets on voluntary measures to achieve cleanup goals that have remained elusive for decades."

Agriculture [4]
Biodiversity [6]
Chemicals [7]
Climate Change [8]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Fish & Fisheries [16]
Food [47]
Government [18]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [48]
Pollution [26]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [37]
Source: Inside Climate News [71], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about Chesapeake Bay Leaders Agree on Longer Timeline and Tribal Role in Cleanup [70]

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[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/top-environment-and-energy-topics-watch-2026 [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/sej-news [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [19] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/military [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [27] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [32] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [33] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [34] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [35] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [36] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-plains [37] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [38] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [39] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [40] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [41] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [42] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [43] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [44] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [45] https://www.sej.org/publications/ej-insight/words-frames-writer-learns-wield-power-visual-storytelling [46] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/ej-insight [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/religion-faith-and-spirituality [50] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/africa [51] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/asia [52] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/south-america [53] https://www.sej.org/headlines/feeding-frenzy-encouraging-sign-struggling-calif-brown-pelicans [54] https://apnews.com/article/california-brown-pelicans-feeding-frenzy-coast-c7292ef7377c5c123eda38e4afe62110 [55] https://www.sej.org/headlines/startup-says-it-has-found-hidden-source-geothermal-energy-nev [56] https://www.wired.com/story/startup-found-hidden-source-geothermal-energy/ [57] https://www.sej.org/headlines/interior-dept-finally-releases-high-official-s-financial-disclosure [58] https://www.publicdomain.media/p/budd-falen-financial-disclosure-interior [59] https://www.sej.org/headlines/farmers-block-mexico-s-congress-tractors-protest-water-law-proposal [60] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/mexico [61] https://apnews.com/article/mexico-farmers-protest-water-law-a0e4d9f51e4e6d672a9240f4c5237aa8 [62] https://www.sej.org/headlines/deadly-asian-floods-are-no-fluke-they-re-climate-warning-scientists-say [63] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/australia-oceania [64] https://apnews.com/article/southeast-asia-climate-change-weather-floods-9baeb7e9656f6964d6496237130f87a6 [65] https://www.sej.org/headlines/new-report-warns-critical-climate-risks-arab-region [66] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/middle-east [67] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04122025/arab-region-global-warming-farms-aquifers/ [68] https://www.sej.org/headlines/grid-storage-industry-set-wild-goal-2025-and-then-crushed-it [69] https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/energy-storage/grid-storage-industry-crushes-2025-goal [70] https://www.sej.org/headlines/chesapeake-bay-leaders-agree-longer-timeline-and-tribal-role-cleanup [71] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04122025/chesapeake-executive-council-bay-cleanup/ [72] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B [73] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=42 [74] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=39 [75] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=40 [76] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=41 [77] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=44 [78] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=45 [79] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=46 [80] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=47 [81] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81/all/target%3D%26amp%3B?page=4680