Today, many big brands and industries face challenges on how to communicate about the steps they are taking to measurably reduce their environmental impact. Policymakers, investors, activists and advocates, and the general public are all looking for companies to take a stand — and reporters are on the story.

In the next four years, the need for action and communication will only increase. Incoming President-elect Biden has named former Secretary of State John Kerry as climate envoy, signaling how important it is to the incoming administration to elevate the issue of global warming. Journalists will be looking for stories of brands adapting to new sustainability and environmental policies. Here’s our list of the top reporters working this increasingly important beat.

Top Six Climate Change Reporters

  1. Eric Roston, Bloomberg, @eroston: Roston is an award-winning journalist who has spent more than 15 years covering climate change in all its incarnations — from science to technology, finance, business and government. Since 2011, he has served as Sustainability Editor for Bloomberg News and is now writing stories, graphics and video. He’s strong on data visualization. A must read: United Will Suck Carbon From the Air Instead of Buying Offsets. If you have not signed up for the Bloomberg Green newsletter, do it now.
  2. Oliver Milman, The Guardian, @olliemilman: Based in New York City, Milman has been writing at The Guardian since 2013 and was officially named environment reporter in 2015. In 2019, Atlantic Books won a competitive six-way action to publish his “terrifying and compelling” debut book The Insect Crisis, which is expected in early 2022. Two must reads: Climate crisis to triple flooding threat for low-income US homes by 2050, Pollution from car tires is killing off salmon on US west coast, study finds.
  3. Steve Mufson, Washington Post, @StevenMufson: A member of the climate change reporting team, Mufson covers the business of climate change. He’s a thoughtful reporter who (pre-COVID) took intro meetings. In 2020, he shared the Pulitzer Prize for a climate change series “2C: Beyond the Limit.” A must read: What the fight over EPA chief says about Democratic divisions.
  4. Somini Sengupta, The New York Times, @SominiSengupta: The New York Times has a strong bench of renowned reporters on their climate desk, including Lisa Friedman and Brad Plumer, who calls it the “apocalypse beat.” For a global view of the impact of climate change, follow Sengupta, The Times’ international climate reporter. She tells the stories of communities and landscapes most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. A must read: Hotter Planet Already Poses Fatal Risks, Health Experts Warn.
  5. Lauren Sommer, NPR, @lesommer: Sommer covers climate change for NPR’s Science Desk. She has covered scientists on the front lines of documenting the warming climate and the way those changes are reshaping communities and ecosystems around the world. Prior to joining NPR, Sommer spent more than a decade covering climate and environment for KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. During her time there, she delved into the impact of California’s historic drought during dry years, reported on destructive floods during wet years, and covered how communities responded to record-breaking wildfires. A must listen: Climate Change is Extending Fire Season Across the West.
  6. Ariel Wittenberg, E&E News , @arielwittenberg: One of the most important outlets in the D.C. market, E&E News has carved out a space with its reporting on energy and environment policy and trends. Wittenberg is the water reporter for E&E News’ Greenwire, covering everything from water pollution to drought to infrastructure policy. E&E News does have a paywall, but it’s worth it. A must read: Will Biden leverage Medicare to tackle climate change?

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