Press and Planet in Danger
October 15, 2024
Strengthening Independent Journalism
October 17, 2024
A report by IPI highlights the risks faced by environmental journalists worldwide, detailing attacks, corruption, and disinformation. It calls for stronger protection, collaboration, and legal support for journalists.
Source: International Press Institute (IPI)
Key Findings
Addressing the global climate and environmental crisis requires accurate, independent, and accessible journalism that can inform the public debate, clearly highlight the public interest, and protect those most affected by this crisis. Environmental and climate journalists shed light on corrupt practices and illegal activities linked to environmentally harmful businesses and disclose the vested interests that support polluting industries. They report on state authorities who enable or tolerate these practices. And they expose those who sow disinformation and doubt about the science behind climate change and profit from the resulting polarization, among other topics. Yet this crucial journalism is at risk. This report – part of the International Press Institute (IPI)’s initiative to defend and strengthen environmental journalism – is the newest and most extensive overview of attacks on environmental and climate journalists. It reveals the alarming degree to which these attacks are threatening press freedom and impeding efforts to protect the environment and climate. The report is the result of interviews with nearly 40 environmental and climate journalists in 21 countries in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. It identifies inherent risks environmental journalists face because of the stories they pursue, explores the specific challenges that freelancers and local journalists face on this beat, and examines how failure of the rule of law, public-sector corruption, and economic pressure create a hostile climate for environmental journalists. The report also examines strategies for countering these attacks and pressures placed on journalists, including through collaboration, safety measures, and legal support structures. It includes recommendations for states, news outlets, and states, journalism support networks, and donors.