A Green Opportunity For Press Coverage
Photo by Li-An Lim
Hi everyone,
Although my newsletter fails to sync with Earth Day next Thursday, I thought I'd still seize the opportunity to look at how the media has finally started to step up its attention on the climate crisis.
Given the climate emergency we're facing and the fact the UK is hosting UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November, there's set to be A LOT of coverage around this year's event. (This CN Traveller article by its sustainability editor Juliet Kinsman is just one example; it's also well worth a read.)
You might have already pitched a story to magazines to coincide with Earth Day, founded in 1970 to help protect and conserve the planet. But fear not, it's not too late to fire off story pitches and opinion pieces to newspapers and online titles.
Of course you don't need a date like Earth Day to pitch your climate-related stories. With climate change already here in the form of intense weather patterns, the media has stepped up their climate and environmental coverage significantly in recent times, meaning there's a stronger appetite for your green pitches.
We're seeing publishers establish dedicated climate hubs. In February The Independent created a climate section covering news, views and sustainable lifestyle features. (I checked and there's no devoted desk but if you ever have a straight climate pitch, I was told climate correspondent Daisy Dunne is your contact.) The title has also created a climate channel within its TV platform.
The FT has set up Climate Capital, a dedicated area on its website bringing all of its climate coverage under one roof, and appointed Emiliya Mychasuk as climate editor. Over at The Sun, political correspondent Natasha Clark is now reporting on environment and climate news ahead of COP26 in November.
Although by no means a climate reporter, over the years I've stepped up my focus on more positive and impactful journalism, with the environment becoming a stronger part of my (very varied) portfolio. In recent years I've whipped up a report on quantifying sustainability for WGSN (for subscribers only), reported on the rise of carbon trackers for the BBC, interviewed people cutting back on flying for the Guardian, explored the impact of business travel on the environment for the Guardian, honed in on rental fashion for the i, and interviewed an XR activist for the Guardian.
With being COP26 set to be held in Glasgow in November, there'll be an even stronger demand for climate-related stories. Get pitching.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Susie