It is a realization that climate change is affecting not only the environment, but also our lives. In the meantime, environmental journalists are facing the second most dangerous journalism field to keep society aware of what has been happening for the past decades, staying behind only war reporting. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in 2021, since 2009, more than 30 environmental journalists were killed, had suffered harassment and assault, and had to deal with online attacks and disinformation.
These professionals are on the front line of everything that has been occurring to our planet, from deforestation to land wars involving indigenous populations. They are the vital link between the civilians and the cases that would be untold.
Along with spreading awareness, environmental journalists have a big role in inspiring action. Karin Lydersen – a reporter, author, and professor based in Chicago – believes that it is hard to impact people due to fake news and a lack of interest, but if the stories that are told have ordinary people in them, it can be easier. “If you can show how real people are being impacted by pollution or by climate change or by the loss of their lands, people do relate to stories about people, and they can get upset or, you know, sympathetic or angry at the injustice.”
Abigail Foerstener, a Science Journalism Faculty at Northwestern University, agrees with the necessity of telling these stories and also, use the environmental journalism and science to let people aware about the consequences of global warming, but also “call them to action by encouraging progressive changes in their lives, such as biking and consuming less meat.”
MAIN CHALLENGES
When talking about the challenges environmental journalists face, it is easy to think about censorship and politics. In Latin America, for instance, the number of attacks targeting them is larger and has been increasing each year, all because of the poor political stability, strong presence of organized crime and economic interests when compared to countries such as the USA. As specified by the Global Investigative Journalism Network “the vast majority of environmental journalists killed in action work in Latin America, covering deforestation, poaching, agribusiness, the pollution of rivers by mining, or even the monopolization of land to produce palm oil, used in products like shampoo.”
A study named “Climate and Environmental Journalism Under Fire” by Barbara Trionfi – former executive director of the International Press Institute, shows that in regions covered by the Amazon Rainforest, the number of armed groups and mafia has been multiplying. The journalists interviewed for this article reported that the State security forces are helping a lot of those groups, as happened in the case of the Brazilian journalist Daniel Camargos when covering a land conflict in Rondonia in December 2020, he and the photographer were threatened with a rifle by a military officer. Or a more grave and known example, which caused the murder of the British journalist Dom Phillips and the Indigenous affairs expert Bruno Pereira in 2022.
And the situation doesn’t get better over the years, even with these past occurrences. The Brazilian photojournalist, Carolina Costa, has been on field trips to Lábrea, a city located in the North of Brazil, to report the fires that were happening in the area. Carolina, in an interview with Her Campus at Cásper Líbero, talked about the fears and threats that some of her colleagues were feeling and receiving during this coverage. “Police pressure”, “drug trafficking” and “militias” were the main obstacles she revealed, especially in areas affected by deforestation and mining, where there are too many conflicts of political and economic interest.
Karin also highlighted that environmental journalism goes beyond climate change, but few spaces are looking to listen about it. Numerous life stories need to be told, and maybe that’s the reason there are just a few colleagues with her. “The editor can think we already did that story or there are too many stories about pollution. You do hear that sometimes, so that can be hard just getting a place to publish your story.”
POLITICAL INTERESTS AND JOURNALISTS RISKS
When asked about the challenges that she has been going through her career, Karin expressed how easier it is in the USA than in Latin America, but the journalist didn’t hesitate in showing the hopeless feelings with the comeback of Donald Trump in the presidency and the changes that it can cause in her role, as the Brazilians journalists experienced during Bolsonaro’s Government: “He’s just loosened a lot of the protections that we had. He already has and he’ll do more. And I can tell you more specifics if you want, but that’s happening”. Showing that oppressed governments are a direct threat to environmental journalists.
As a result of the threats, attacks, and danger facing those professionals, it’s usual to see them censoring themselves. Not talking about dangerous topics, not covering areas that are contaminated by organized crimes, and being afraid of lawsuits make them incapable of doing their jobs. Is it worth putting your life at risk to show the reality of the effects of climate change and the illegal acts that happen in our forests? That’s why hundreds of reporters are turning their backs on the environment, knowing that the risk is just too high.
CONSIDERING THAT, HOW TO KEEP ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM ALIVE?
Because of those risks, laws are being set to make their jobs safer. Roads to change the reality are being built. Organizations, such as the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), are offering training programs with tips for staying safe in dangerous situations. The Earth Journalism Network (EJN) has also been helping since 2004 by organizing internships for journalists in developing countries to help them provide better coverage of the environment. UNESCO was also calling for partnerships focused on defending those journalists in 2023, offering thousands of dollars to support initiatives to help journalists have more freedom. 33 projects were selected.
Carolina Costa expressed that, in the national context, the Brazilian government needs to implement public policies to create a safer environment to work. For her, a big chance would also be the raising of funding, since all the supplies and equipment are paid by the reporters: “The state doesn’t support journalists when they are reporting socio-environmental causes, helmet, vest, shoes, everything we are the ones who pay”. The hard work of environmental journalists can be recognized, especially when, even though there are numerous obstacles, they still have the strength and willingness to overlook, keep going, fighting and reporting the chaos.
“Everything sums up to the increase of public policies, structure, conditions, and safety to more people and more women to speak about it”, said the photojournalist. If only with their willingness, they can impact that much and bring information to the rest of the world, with the right support, their job could be reached on various other levels.
Putting the ugly reality in sight can cost lots of things to environmental journalists, but the stories that are told and the lives that are saved can’t be forgotten and should be seen as a reward. All of that put together can be discouraging to future journalists who are searching for their next step and which path to pursue. “We need to keep pursuing the truth, telling the stories and coming up with solutions”, Abigail concludes.
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The article above was edited by Beatriz Gatz.
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