MEDIA HUB

Share breaking news. Inform the community. Speak truth to power. These days, journalists have to wear many hats. That is especially true when it comes to covering climate change: one of the most challenging and pressing issues of our time.

As part of the Smart City Expo Miami 2022, we brought together some of the most prominent boots on the ground—or, rather, pens on the paper—in South Florida climate journalism:

• Alex Harris, lead climate change reporter for the Miami Herald

• Mario Alejandro Ariza, investigative reporter at Floodlight and author of Disposable City: Miami’s Future on the Shores of Climate Catastrophe

• Matt Haggman, EVP of Opportunity Miami at the Beacon Council and former reporter at the Miami Herald

• Riley Kaminer, freelance tech journalist and contributing writer at Refresh Miami The goal: understanding the state of climate journalism in South Florida and paint a picture of what it might—and should— become going forward.

Over the last few years, the climate journalism landscape has changed— mostly for the better.

Despite the generalized anxiety surrounding newsroom cuts over the last few years, climate change reporting units have broadly stayed intact—or even grown. Climate coverage is, broadly speaking, higher quality than it was even a few years ago. And weather discussions are increasingly climatized. Despite the positive developments, we still need to increase climate journalism coverage.

Too many climate stories still go untold. The main barriers include a lack of time, money, and journalists to report as frequently or deeply as they should. This is particularly the case when it comes to accountability journalism. Investigative reporting often takes longer—potentially a year or more—and not enough outlets are willing to enable this crucial coverage.

Climate journalism should not be siloed; rather, it should be a part of every beat. We need to change the idea that climate change is its own beat. Much to the contrary, it should be integrated into every desk in the newsroom: from real estate and local government to technology and business. But there remain many headwinds in these efforts, including educating journalists on how to most effectively cover climate-related topics. It is important to balance optimism with the harsh realities of climate change. The best way to approach climate reporting is to acknowledge, first and foremost, that climate change will fundamentally change every aspect of living in our cities. From there, it is worthwhile to give readers options: Show people visions of the future that we could have if we were to change our ways and will have if we do not.

Journalists should be honest about the impacts of whatever climate mitigation strategy they are covering. Give readers the context and let them decide for themselves. But always be sure to inject some skepticism into your coverage—especially regarding climate tech.

For future climate journalists, opportunities abound for those willing to think out of the box.

As climate change increases to become a kitchen-table issue for citizens, there will be more interest in journalism that can contextualize and report on what is happening. Our panel urged budding journalists to bravely imagine a different media industry that includes a variety of outlets beyond just television and print: nonprofit newsrooms and one-person Substacks, just to name a few.

The job of climate journalists is more critical than ever. Keep chasing the big stories, holding powerful figures to their word, and uncovering the sometimes-inconvenient truths about climate change.