Environmental journalists aiming to report local or regional stories on real estate climate risk should explore an impressive bit of data journalism on the subject; Reporter’s Toolbox lauds it not just for the exemplary work, but also because the project, from The Washington Post, allows them to look up a variety of risks in their own locales.
Whether fires in California or flooding in North Carolina, climate disasters are revealing a major fault line in U.S. emergency response — a serious insurance shortfall that may lead to financial catastrophe. The new Issue Backgrounder explores the risks of underinsured disasters, the limits to the national flood insurance programs and FEMA aid, and the predictable scapegoating that has created solution gridlock.
Feb. 14, 2025 — Here at SEJ, we celebrate both Valentine’s Day and our 35th anniversary on February 14, a tribute to our love for the planet and recognition of the enduring friendships and mutual support within our tight-knit community of environmental journalists. Today, as our field and membership have expanded across the world and into every form of news media, the need for environmental journalism has never been more urgent: SEJ’s role is even more vital, and the support our community offers is more relevant than ever. Read more from SEJ executive director Aparna Mukherjee (pictured, left).
The University of Chicago’s Academic Communicators Network and the Data Science Institute invite journalists to a reporter resource session showcasing two free, interactive data tools for climate reporting. One tracks deforestation and the other genetically modified crops. Noon ET.
"A Florida appeals court Wednesday cleared the way for President Donald Trump to pursue a defamation lawsuit against Pulitzer Prize board members in a dispute rooted in the organization awarding a prize to The New York Times and The Washington Post for reporting about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election."
"The world’s peatlands are “dangerously underprotected” despite the colossal amount of climate-heating carbon dioxide already being emitted due to their destruction, a study has warned."
"Mexican environmental regulators say they have discovered 30,000 tons of improperly stored material with “hazardous characteristics” in the yard of a Mexican plant that is recycling toxic waste shipped from the US."
"In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that tore through Los Angeles last month, undocumented day laborers will likely make up a significant portion of the workforce tasked with clearing debris and rebuilding homes. As they navigate the environmental hazards of this work, they’re also facing the Trump administration’s escalating crackdown on immigrants."
"Coca-Cola may have to sell more drinks in plastic bottles in the US if President Donald Trump's tariffs end up making aluminium cans more expensive, the company's chief executive, James Quincey, said in a call with investors."
"Electric and gas utilities routinely charge ratepayers for costs related to political advocacy, ads to burnish their brand, and even luxury perks for executives and employees, according to a recent report by the utility watchdog group Energy and Policy Institute, or EPI. Such expenses add up to millions of dollars paid by customers toward utilities’ efforts to raise prices and stall climate progress."
