September 23, 2019
Covering Climate Now… but what about the future?
Posted by Laura Guertin
The Global Climate Strike has passed, the UN Youth Climate Summit has concluded, and Climate Week NYC is underway (Sept. 23-29, 2019). Several events took place and resources were newly/recently released that you may have missed. I’ll be calling attention to some of these in a week of blog posts dedicated to climate conversations (see #climateconversations2019).
September 2019 is a month that is not short on discussions relating to climate. From children to senior citizens, news stations to educational institutions, and medical practitioners to faith leaders, everyone is sharing their personal passions and the science of climate change. Much of the renewed and continuing attention to climate ties in to the lead-up to the Global Climate Strike and UN Youth Climate Summit.
If you noticed an increase in climate-related stories in the media, you can look to the efforts of The Nation and Columbia Journalism Review and their joint initiative called Covering Climate Now. This initiative mobilized more than 300 global news outlets, including newspapers, television, magazines, radio, institutions, and more.
A new beginning for climate reporting https://t.co/7OyZI5ztPO via @cjr
— Covering Climate Now (@CoveringClimate) September 16, 2019
The website states that “From September 15-23, our partners have committed to emphasizing climate stories. The goal is to maximize coverage of the climate crisis and its impacts in the lead up to the United Nations Climate Summit on September 23.” One can hope that the coverage does not end on September 23, but that covering climate becomes the norm and not the exception.
Much of the coverage leading up to the Summit focused on the Global Climate Strike itself. Articles appeared from how to prepare for the strike to thinking about the strike through a different lens – and then, challenging us to take a step back and realize what the strike is actually asking for.
Getting excited about #ClimateStrikes or wondering if it’s worth interrupting your day to join one? In either case I have a thread for you. Climate strikes through a #systemsthinking lens….
— Dr. Elizabeth Sawin (@bethsawin) September 18, 2019
Today is climate strike day. Millions of people across the world, according to the organisers, will be marching to save the planet.
But having dug into what they’re actually marching for, I’m profoundly uneasy. So uneasy, in fact, that it’s time for a THREAD.
— Robert Colvile (@rcolvile) September 20, 2019
However you feel personally about the Global Climate Strike, it was noticed. It generated more media coverage of climate stories. Local to international leaders paid attention. So what’s next?
“I encourage you to go on. I encourage you to keep your initiative, keep your mobilization and more and more to hold my generation accountable,” the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres told @gretathunberg and other young activists.https://t.co/KOFwKKKbCa
— NYT Climate (@nytclimate) September 22, 2019
It seems there will be more to come. NRDC Action Fund is suggesting quick steps you can take to keep the momentum going for “bold climate action” such as confirming your voter registration and pledge to go All In For Climate Action. The day after the Global Climate Strike, March for Science emailed an announcement that “April 22, 2020 not only marks the 3rd anniversary of the inaugural March for Science, but it is also the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day when 20 million people took to the streets to advocate a sustainable environment on behalf of future generations.” March for Science is calling for Earth Day “activations” chosen by local communities, such as walk-outs, marches, concerts, teach-ins and more.
The gatherings will continue, but will strikes and marches move the needle to make a difference when it comes to the climate of our planet? Only time will tell…
From Columbia Journalism Review, “What we’ve learned from our week of climate coverage” – https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/cjr-climate-coverage.php