Why Environmental Journalism Needs Urgent Investment and Support

The world’s environmental crises are unfolding faster than our ability to report on them. As forests disappear, coral reefs bleach, and rivers run dry, the journalists best positioned to tell these critical stories often lack the resources, training, and editorial support they need to do so effectively.

This gap is particularly pronounced as traditional newsrooms shrink and environmental coverage gets cut first. Science desks vanish, travel budgets disappear, and reporters suddenly find themselves covering complex climate policies without the technical skills to interpret satellite data or distinguish credible research from corporate spin. The result? Environmental stories that risk being superficial, inaccurate, or simply untold.

The solution lies in strategic investment in emerging environmental journalists through paid fellowships, mentorship programs, and global professional networks. Programs like Mongabay’s Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship exemplify this approach—since 2022, it has supported about 40 early-career journalists by pairing local knowledge with professional guidance. Similarly, Mongabay Latam’s program for Indigenous communicators in Ecuador’s Amazon has trained Shuar and Kichwa reporters to tell their communities’ stories firsthand.

These investments are paying dividends. Fellows from Indonesia to Nigeria have exposed illegal mining operations, uncovered environmental violations, and brought crucial local perspectives to global environmental issues. By bridging the gap between journalistic curiosity and technical capability, these programs are creating a new generation of reporters capable of chronicling how environmental change reshapes lives, economies, and entire ecosystems.