
Journalists have a unique role to play in changing the narrative around the worlds environmental breakdown and becoming an essential part of the solution. Hear from the course instructor of our series of free environmental journalism courses, Catherine Mackie, on why were all environmental journalists now.
I can remember the exact date I became an environmental journalist. It was 20 July 2007, the day I found myself quite literally up to my knees in the biggest environmental disaster to hit my city in a lifetime.
The torrential rain that day was relentless and unforgiving. It forced hundreds of families out of their homes as rivers burst their banks and floodwaters rose. Thousands of motorists spent a terrifying, cold night trapped in their cars watching the roads around them disappear under water.
I never acquired the job title of environmental journalist' but discovered, probably earlier than most that the environment was seeping into pretty much every story in my patch.
The great flood is an obvious environmental story but its ripples have been felt in so many stories since: anything from where to build homes to an increase in mental health problems. These aren't just local' stories anymore or disconnected issues about infrastructure and psychological trauma. They're linked to similar struggles facing communities around the UK and around the world. For reporters that means there is no such thing as just a local environmental story. Like wildfires, it's a global issue and you're reporting to the world.
What does that mean for local reporters on the ground? It means it's time to see the bigger picture. Climate change in particular is a global issue. Politicians will gather for Cop26, the next annual UN climate change conference in Glasgow in November 2021. For every reporter from Tirana to Skopje, it's your story.
If you think you're just a political, sport or general news journalist, it's time to think again. Stories from across the news spectrum are linked to environmental changes locally and the impact of climate change globally.
So, whenever a story lands on your desk, it's time to start asking, what's the environmental link? What you'll find is there is usually a much bigger narrative at work; from football pitches drying out as climate changes, or polluting factories escaping censure because of political corruption. Exposing those links will educate your audience on the biggest issue facing the planet, and help put into context why certain things are happening where you live.
So, whenever a story lands on your desk, it's time to start asking, what's the environmental link?
Catherine Mackie, editorial associate, Thomson Foundation
So welcome to the environmental beat. It can be dangerous, particularly if you're exposing corruption. It can be challenging if you're explaining climate science, but it can be rewarding when you're able to engage and educate your audience.
My one tip is don't forget to pack your wet weather gear. Back in the flood of July 2007, I spent a very wet night trapped in a caravan, with a camera operator and a sound engineer. But that's a story for another day.
#TFEnvironment
-- Play
-- --
How to become a better environmental journalist: Catherine was in conversation with The Third Pole on Twitter Spaces on 20th September, 2021, sharing insights, resources and tools to help journalists. This was followed by a Q&A with listeners. Listen to the conversation here. Follow @thomfound for more.
Related content
Environmental journalism | Why local matters: Sources Investigate local environmental stories and their possible links to climate change.
Environmental journalism | Why local matters: Storytelling Cover environmental stories and address climate change in a way that engages audiences.
Environmental journalism | Why local matters: Safety and security Learn how to stay safe online and when facing physical threats and intimidation.
Catherine Mackie Editorial Associate
About: Catherine is responsible for designing training programmes for Thomson Foundation and has been a senior journalist for more than 30 years.
Explore our projects across the globe
More from Thomson
12/05/2025
As newsrooms around the world begin to experiment with artificial intelligence, many are asking the same question: how do we move beyond isolated pilots and emb...
09/05/2025
At the Frontline Club in London, a venue long associated with media freedom and ...
01/05/2025
As Tanzania approaches a pivotal election year marked by both promise and concern over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on media, more than 300 journa...
23/04/2025
In 2024, Thomson's Total Turnout project played a pivotal role in elevating ethical election reporting and strengthening journalist safety in Pakistan.
Wit...
16/04/2025
At a time when Sudanese women journalists face unprecedented challenges, She Speaks Sudan has provided a critical platform for training, mentorship, and collabo...
15/04/2025
As women in Afghanistan are stripped of their rights - banned from education, barred from public life and rendered invisible - a number of women journalists con...
14/04/2025
Rwanda's vulnerability to climate change is underscored by its ranking of 124th out of 182 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative's in...
19/03/2025
Applications are open for the second cycle of the Validation Booster programme, offering European media outlets, networks, and content creators the opportunity ...
07/03/2025
Increasing restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan is forcing women journalists take extraordinary risks to their own safety to tell their stories.
The ...
21/01/2025
Two senior war reporters from the BBC and Sky News have joined an outstanding array of experts in a unique series of training courses for journalists covering p...
16/01/2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Mundy as Thomsons new Director of Research, Policy and Impact. Gary will join the organisation in March 2025,...
15/01/2025
The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism reached a crescendo a...
08/01/2025
A landmark document examining key issues into how the media industry is grappling with the challenges of explaining how its using AI in its publications and bro...
30/12/2024
Leaving Thomson after 21 years, former Managing Director David Quin reflects on a career spent navigating the shifting sands of global media development. From r...
20/12/2024
Podcasting has become one of the most popular ways to tell stories and connect with audiences, but getting started can be intimidating, especially when it comes...
16/12/2024
Thomson's Executive Learning Series wrapped up its 2024 calendar with a landmark event in Prague. The AI in Media masterclass brought together 24 media lead...
13/12/2024
Reporting in secret under the oppressive shadow of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, ...
04/12/2024
Somaiyah Hafeez, one of this year's finalists for Thomson's Young Journalist of the Year Award, had a transformative visit to London. As the only finali...
26/11/2024
A woman journalist from Afghanistan has been named Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist of the Year 2024.
The journalist, who we are not naming for her ow...
13/11/2024
Award-winning journalists from the Western Balkans and T rkiye break new ground with impactful investigations on healthcare, environmental threats, human rights...
05/11/2024
Somaiyah Hafeez, a journalist and writer from Balochistan, Pakistan, stands out for her commitment to telling the stories of overlooked communities in her regio...
05/11/2024
Aisha Farrukh a multimedia journalist from Pakistan focuses on human interest stories and aims to create change through her storytelling. Twenty eight year old ...
05/11/2024
One of the three finalists for the Young Journalist of the Year 2024 is a woman journalist working in secret in Afghanistan because of the restrictions imposed ...
31/10/2024
Three journalists whose stories give a voice to people who are oppressed or marginalised have been chosen as the finalists for the 2024 Young Journalist of the ...
16/10/2024
We are pleased to announce that Federica Varalda has been appointed as Managing Director - Development for the Thomson Group. She will be leading project develo...
23/09/2024
Reporting from a female journalist who is working in secret due to Taliban restr...
30/07/2024
We caught up with Yara El Murr, winner of the Young Journalist Award 2023, to find out how her life has changed since scooping the main prize for her investigat...
23/07/2024
Brussels was the location of our third Thomson Talks with Madhav Chinnappa held on 25 June 2024, focused on the specific subject of AI/News & Regulation. Four k...
03/07/2024
AI's integration into journalism has sparked a mix of enthusiasm and scepticism across Central Europe, according to research led by Thomson Foundation in co...
01/07/2024
This was such a confidence boost and so much motivation to keep pushing forward in my work and public service journalism.
Yara El Murr from Lebanon recollecti...
21/06/2024
A new platform dedicated to helping journalists win audience trust and tackle disinformation has been launched and with it a competition offering newsrooms (fro...
30/05/2024
Navigating Strategy, Ethics, and Innovation in the evolving European media lands...
28/05/2024
This is a summary of the report commissioned by Thomson on AI Disinformation Attacks during Taiwans 2024 Presidential Elections, written by Professor Chen-ling ...
13/05/2024
Journalists from the Western Balkans and T rkiye can now submit their investigative stories published in 2023 for the EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2024...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
29/04/2024
A groundbreaking initiative offering training and mentoring to 30 women journali...
23/04/2024
Psychology can play an important role in helping us understand what audiences respond to (Dr Jon Roozenbeek, Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab)
For newsroo...
10/04/2024
A regulator, a technologist and a politician walking into a conference room - the beginning of a very geeky joke - or more accurately, the start of the second T...
09/04/2024
This is a summary of the report commissioned by Thomson on AI Disinformation Attacks during Taiwans 2024 Presidential Elections, written by Professor Chen-ling ...
04/04/2024
This fantastic course will help you understand and fight disinformation, an absolutely essential skill to acquire during this global election season. Sign up an...
02/04/2024
Thomson's work in captive, closed and repressive media landscapes has long been about making sure we get the best possible idea of what people really need f...
28/03/2024
Out of an estimated 20,000 journalists in Pakistan, less than one thousand are women according to a recent Gender Disparity Report published by the Internationa...
15/03/2024
To help empower Sudanese journalists living in exile amidst the ongoing conflict in their homeland, Thomson trainers have been delivering workshops designed to ...
01/03/2024
MoJo is something I want to pursue further and include, not as a last thought, but as a one of the components of my daily work. Michelle Banda Vodacom Young Jou...
23/01/2024
A chance to apply for the new learning programme specifically designed for media...
16/01/2024
This is a summary of the inaugural Thomson Talks with Madhav Chinnappa held on 30 November 2023 focused on the specific subject of AI/News & Disinformation.
Th...
22/12/2023
Pakistan is one of more than 65 countries where decisive elections will take place in 2024 in what will be the biggest election year in history.
Thomson Media ...
19/12/2023
An innovative investigative training programme for Rwandan journalists has resulted in the publication of 15 impactful stories which have prompted widespread ch...
18/12/2023
As 2023 draws to a close, a new chapter begins for Thomson with the appointment of a new member of the team.
Anton Artemyev joins us in January in a new role a...
24/11/2023
The three finalists for the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year 2023 enjoyed an action-packed trip to London which included meeting the Queen, visit...