Global Investigative Journalism Network (https://archive.gijn.org/tag/biodiversity/)
The illegal trafficking of wild animals and plants is damaging biodiversity worldwide and spreading diseases. It’s an international story, with great opportunities for investigations in virtually every country. GIJN’s new guide encourages deep reporting about the subject with tips and tools for covering a global trade.
Our mapping of top data journalism links from August 16 to 22 found maps by The New York Times and Washington Post showing chaos at Kabul airport as thousands flee the Taliban, an investigation into heat-related deaths by NPR and Columbia Journalism School, a look at a mysterious poster campaign attempting to smear Germany’s Green party, and a comprehensive visualization of Earth biodiversity.
The environment is the overarching issue of the 21st century for two reasons:
1. The environment includes and touches everything: air, water, food, health, climate, energy, development, poverty, economics—the list could go on without end.
2. Nearly every major environmental indicator is in decline.
We are pushing up against the limits of the Earth’s ability to support us. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and nitrogen pollution are moving toward crisis levels, according to recent studies. There is little public awareness of this reality, which means journalists covering the environment have a plethora of important stories to cover.