"After the first alarms sounded in early January that an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China might ignite a global pandemic, the Trump administration squandered nearly two months that could have been used to bolster the federal stockpile of critically needed medical supplies and equipment."
The coronavirus pandemic has pushed climate change out of the headlines. But the two stories have much in common if journalists look beneath the surface. That was the consensus of expert panelists at an April 2 webinar organized by the Society of Environmental Journalists, who also had suggestions on how to cover both beats better. Read more, or check out video or audio.
While the COVID-19 outbreak may be absorbing most of the world’s attention, the latest TipSheet advises journalists not to back-burner climate-related energy reporting, as industries and activists continue lobbying for new energy stimulus measures from Congress. On the watch list: tax breaks, airline emission cuts, infrastructure, fossil fuel industry bailouts and more.
SEJ’s 2020 reporting awards’ deadline is coming up April 24 and the SEJournal is bringing back its Inside Story Q&A feature to share insights from previous award winners. Meet the column’s two new co-editors, including former SEJ president, Emilia Askari (pictured left), and awards committee member Parimal Rohit (pictured right). And find out which award winner, with highly relevant disaster coverage, will relaunch the column in the coming weeks.
Join Ensia publisher Todd Reubold for a virtual conversation with Kendra Pierre-Louis (The New York Times), Eric Holthaus (The Correspondent), Amy Westervelt (Drilled News) and Maxwell Boykoff (University of Colorado), focused on what the media gets right — and wrong — when covering critical environmental issues like climate change. Presented by SEJ and the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment, 4:45-6:00 p.m. ET.
"Before this underwater forest disappears, scientists recently raced to search for shipworms and other sea life that might conceal medicines of the future."
"San Francisco is banning reusable shopping bags to prevent outside germs from entering grocery stores as the coronavirus pandemic affects cities around the country,"
"Documents disclosed in a treaty infringement case offer a rare glimpse into the payments BC Hydro offered to First Nations as it sought support for the dam, the most expensive public megaproject in B.C.’s history".
"The Trump administration has directed all agency rulemaking activities to continue despite growing calls from lawmakers, state attorneys general, and regulated entities to postpone consideration of any rule that doesn’t address the novel coronavirus pandemic."
"Postponing the annual round of global climate talks reduces political pressure for nations to stiffen their goals to cut greenhouse gases, a major setback to the environmental movement."
