Covering Climate Now

Public awareness of the climate crisis has turned a corner. More people than ever understand not only that it’s real and human-caused, but also that it’s the world’s greatest existential threat. Climate action has become a key election issue, and movements are raising expectations of what that action could be.

In recent months, there’s been an uptick in climate coverage (thanks in large part, of course, to organizers). But we need so much more—and deeper, broader, and better—reporting on the climate crisis.

We need media that explains how carbon emissions create more hurricanes and heat waves and forest fires. We need media that explores how we can adapt. We need to hear from more kinds of people and about more kinds of solutions. We need to hear more about climate justice, because poor people, especially people of color and especially in the Global South, are often hit hardest. We need hyperlocal stories and global ones. And we need to hear more about the industries and policymakers who are responsible for the mess we’re in.

That’s why we’re proud to be a part of Covering Climate Now along with over 220 other news outlets.

It’s an initiative co-founded by the Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation aiming to strengthen the media’s climate coverage in the lead up to the United Nations’ Climate Action Summit on September 23. We’ll be recommitting to covering the climate crisis in ways that reflect its urgency and breadth.

This week, we’ll bring you Real News coverage of game-changing climate conferences, protests, and hearings–myself and my Climate Crisis Bureau colleagues Steve Horn and Dimitri Lascaris will be travelling all over the country, from Philadelphia, PA to Sacramento, CA to Prior Lake, MN. We’ll also be reposting pieces from other outlets who’ve committed to the Covering Climate Now pledge.

Taking on the climate crisis won’t be possible without serious climate reporting. Thanks for watching ours here on the Real News Network.

Dharna Noor

Steve Horn

Dimitri Lascaris

and the whole Real News team

Read more about this project here!

Dharna Noor

Dharna Noor is a staff writer at Earther, Gizmodo's climate vertical.

Steve Horn

Steve Horn is a San Diego-based climate reporter and producer. He was also a reporter on a part-time basis for The Coast News—covering Escondido, San Marcos, and the San Diego North County region—from mid-2018 until early 2020.

Also a freelance investigative reporter, his work has appeared in The Guardian, Al Jazeera America, The Intercept, Vice News, Wisconsin Watch, and other publications. He worked from 2011-2018 for the climate news website DeSmog.com, a publication which investigates climate change disinformation and the fossil fuel industry influence campaigns.

His stories and research have received citation in a U.S. Senate report and mention in outlets such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, Bloomberg Businessweek, Mexico’s La Jornada, and The Colbert Report.

In his free time, Steve is a competitive distance runner, with a personal best time in the marathon of 2:43:04 and a 4:43 mile. He also has served on the film screening committee for the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis and serves on the screening committee for the San Diego International Film Festival.

Dimitri Lascaris

Dimitri Lascaris is a lawyer that focuses on human rights and environmental law. He is the former justice critic of the Green Party of Canada and is a board member of the Real News Network. You can follow him @dimitrilascaris and find more of his work at dimitrilascaris.org.