Since then they have devoted millions of words to climate change and its impacts. The changes may be happening too fast for human comfort, but they happen too slowly for the newsmakers – and, to be fair, for most readers. Not her job.įor these, and other, reasons changes to the Earth’s climate rarely make it to the top of the news list. If it is not yet news – if it is in the realm of prediction, speculation and uncertainty – it is difficult for a news editor to cope with. What is even more complex: there may be things that have yet to happen – stuff that cannot even be described as news on the grounds that news is stuff that has already happened. There may be other extraordinary and significant things happening – but they may be occurring too slowly or invisibly for the impatient tick-tock of the newsroom or to snatch the attention of a harassed reader on the way to work. We favour what is exceptional and in full view over what is ordinary and hidden.

We prefer to deal with what has happened, not what lies ahead. Journalism tends to be a rear-view mirror. Let’s start by reminding ourselves of the challenge for journalists. The result is a model for all of us looking to educate and spur the population into action. As a result they’ve experimented with new ways to consistently cover a slow-moving (though ever-important) story. In 2015 the outgoing editor of The Guardian decided to change how they reported on climate change.Ĭonvinced they were not doing enough, they devoted a regular section to climate change reporting.

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