Environmental Journalism in the Public Interest
I’m an independent journalist who covers international environmental issues in the public interest. 
My work has been published in publications around the world including National Geographic, The Guardian (UK), Sunday Times, New Scientist, Al Jazeera, Earth Island Journal, The Toronto Star, AlterNet, Common Dreams, and Straight Goods News.
I’m also the senior science and environment correspondent at IPS, Inter Press Service News Agency the world’s largest not-for-profit news agency.
I am the 2012 co-winner of the Prince Albert/United Nations Global Prize for Climate Change. You can read much of that coverage on this site.
Multiple environmental crisis represent “the greatest challenge in the history of our species”
– Thomas Lovejoy, professor, George Mason University, former chief scientist of the World Bank
Despite the importance of environmental issues, media have slashed their coverage of environmental issues. It is impossible to make a living as a freelance environmental journalist.
Swiss journalist Daniel Wermus in 2010 article: “Stephen Leahy, a Canadian, and one of the world’s best-known investigative reporters on environmental issues, has launched a challenge:
if corporations won’t pay for the news, then it is up to communities and the public to fill the gap.“
Since for-profit corporate media won’t pay for environmental journalism in the public interest then I am hoping people will.
In 2009 I launched Community Supported Environmental Journalism. In exchange for producing articles about important issues that millions will read*, I am asking people to provide some support. Just $10 a month helps guarantee informative and useful articles like the ones on this site will continue to be written. All supporters receive a personal, one-page weekly newsletter. Without your support I can’t work for all of us — Stephen
*Yes, millions of readers. When I write an article for IPS it is used in hundreds of newspapers and magazines in different languages around the world. That’s great but unfortunately I only get paid $175 even if it took a week to research and write the article. Many of my articles are also reprinted by news websites such as Reuters AlertNet, the Guardian, Al Jazeera, AlterNet, Common Dreams, Truthout, InfoSud, Straightgoods.com and others. None of these pay me for this reuse.
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“We need people like you. In tough economic times, where information flow is increasingly channeled and controlled…”
– E. Ann Clark, Associate Professor, University of Guelph
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Wishing you the very best year ever in all your endeavors and to let you know I have renewed my monthly support for your important work. Rebecca Vermeer
Rebecca A. Vermeer
05/12/2011 at 7:16 pm
Thanks Rebecca, your support is what enables me to continue. And I wish you the very best in your wonderful work bringing eco-Kalan cookstoves to poor people in the Philippines. They bring huge on-the-ground benefits for people, the environment and even the climate. Spending your retirement making abig difference in the world sure beats playing golf every day!! http://www.eco-kalan.com/
Stephen
13/12/2011 at 1:50 pm
In my opinion
We need to replace the fossil fuel power plants, the primary source of GHG. Now!
At a scale required to accomplish this task :
Ethanol starves people : not a viable option.
Fracking releases methane : not a viable option.
Cellulose Bio Fuel Uses Food Land : not a viable option
Solar uses food land : Not a viable option
Wind is Intermittent : Not a viable option
All Human and Agricultural Organic Waste can be converted to hydrogen, through exposure intense radiation!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/DennisearlBaker/2012-a-breakthrough-for-r_b_1263543_135881292.html
The Radioactive Materials exist now, and the Organic waste is renewable daily.
Ending the practice of dumping sewage into our water sources.
Air, Water, Food and Energy issues, receive significant positive impacts .
Reducing illness / health care costs as well !
Dennis Baker
* Creston Avenue
Penticton BC V2A1P9
cell phone 250-462-3796
Phone / Fax 778-476-2633
dennisearlbaker
07/01/2013 at 2:28 am
Hi, I can use some publicity in order to create the largest annual fundraising effort in the world for environmental organizations Please leave your email address upon the blog in a comment (not to be published) Thanks, Murray
http://mecchallenge.wordpress.com/
pafmurray
09/01/2013 at 10:14 pm
I am delighted to have found this blog, Stephen. I am trying to get permission to re-publish something you wrote on the Indian CounterCurrents blog on June 2 last year, namely: “CO2 Level Hits 400 PPM, Do We Have A Way Out?”. I suppose (but have not checked) that this may well have been published here first? Either way, would you be willing and/or able to give me permission to re-publish this on my own blog?
Martin Lack
15/01/2013 at 8:35 am
Despite the importance of environmental issues, media have slashed their coverage of environmental issues. It is impossible to make a living as a freelance environmental journalist.
This is an appalling state of affairs. Given the intransigence of the ‘free’ (hah!) press, I think that the only way we can turn things around is by each and every one of us contributing whatever we can, in action and/or financial support of those who we believe are acting to try to address the problems. In putting my own (meagre) resources where my mouth is, I’ve recently thrown a few bob* at appeals such as yours here as well as the Climate Science Defence Fund and the Dark Snow Project (which is still less than halfway to target).
Keep up the excellent work!
* archaic expression: a ‘bob’ was the slang term for a shilling (now ‘five pence’ after decimalisation) in old UK munny. ‘A few bob’ therefore means ‘some money’. I could have simply replaced the parochial expression, but that wouldn’t have been as entertaining
pendantry
18/01/2013 at 7:04 am
Any friend of ecoshock.org is a friend of mine. Sorry I didn t donate more.
Grant Barnes
23/01/2013 at 3:14 am
No worries Grant. Radio Ecoshock is fantastic – the best podcast radio I’ve heard: http://www.ecoshock.org/
Stephen
23/01/2013 at 9:54 am