Poynter Beat Academy: There’s a Climate Change Angle on Every Beat

Poynter's next Beat Academy 2024 installment explores how to investigate climate change issues in your community, no matter what your coverage area is.

There is no facet of our lives that doesn’t overlap with climate change. People worry about AI run amok; it’s also a major energy hog. The value of your home could take a hit due to updated flooding maps. The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global emissions. General assignment and beat reporters alike: There’s a climate change story waiting for you.

In partnership with the Society of Environmental Journalists, we will:

• Connect you with reporters and editors who will share the habits and practices that generate leads.
• Talk about keeping our eyes open and the reporting methods that turn nascent ideas into coverage that makes climate change real and relevant.
• This webinar is the perfect complement to our earlier Beat Academy session on the impact of federal climate and energy programs on disadvantaged communities.

When: Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024 at 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET. We’ll be joined by reporters with climate chops: the Los Angeles Times’ Tony Barboza and Canary Media’s Maria Gallucci take the energy transition as their starting point. We’ll also be joined by Nina Ignaczak at Planet Detroit and Delaney Dryfoos with The Lens, who will show us the countless options that link back to water.

We’ll also introduce you to a website that will help you pinpoint the climate and water projects happening in your area, funded directly and indirectly through federal policy (see below).

Those projects offer a particular opportunity for journalists. Each one, at bottom, is rooted in some problem. Telling the story of the project takes the audience both into the problem and a potential solution. Because that’s the challenge of climate change reporting: Striking the balance between alerting the public to real challenges, and showing the opportunities for success.

Enroll here. Use discount code 24climateBA18 at checkout for 75% off — you’ll pay just $18 for this webinar and get access to all of our 2024 sessions as well.

More information.

• See Poynter's coverage story, "Fun and Games at Beat Academy," October 4, 2024.

Special perk for Beat Acadamaniacs and SEJ members

There’s a newly available reservoir of story ideas. Until now, the web-based Climate Program Portal and the Water Program Portal have been available only to government officials and advocates. These websites that track the new federal dollars can save reporters hours when they need to pinpoint the climate and water projects happening in their area. 

Atlas Public Policy, the firm that built the sites, now allows journalists to apply for access. Email beatacademy@poynter.org for details on how you can apply.

The level of granularity is impressive. Curious about the apartment buildings in your community that got energy efficiency grants? No problem. Orphan oil and gas wells a big deal in your area? See how much money is coming to your state and check to see if officials are moving to use it.

Beat Academy’s Sept. 12 webinar walks you through how to use the portals, but you don’t need to enroll in Beat Academy to get access to the portals.