Washington D.C., 18 February 2010

News coverage of global climate change is on the rise worldwide, but more in-depth international reporting is needed to inform the stalled public debate on combating catastrophic climate change. In the latest issue of World Watch magazine, Worldwatch Institute Staff Writer Ben Block looks at the current state of journalism and how the evolving coverage of climate stories—from Climategate to Copenhagen—may be putting our planet in peril.

“The financial decline of traditional journalism organizations has stifled investigative and foreign news,” writes Block. “While online news and social media are spreading more information more widely and rapidly, the growing lack of explanatory journalism may nonetheless result in a less informed public. The trend should be a concern for anyone dedicated to environmental sustainability.”

While acknowledging that traditional news sources will likely continue to report the news, Block asks if the changing news-scape will provide sufficiently detailed reports, particularly on international issues, that meet the needs of an increasingly complicated, interconnected, and warming world. He dissects recent reporting on the Copenhagen Climate Summit and the pilfered e-mails from the University of East Anglia for examples of some of the pitfalls and success stories found in covering climate change.

“Unless climate change reporting improves through more in-depth, international coverage, the necessary shift to low-carbon, resilient economies will not likely occur until the worst damages become as apparent as flood water rising to our windows,” writes Block. ”By then, it may be too late.”

Ends --