A growing movement of data journalists are building platforms that combine interactive maps with visualized environmental data and traditional reporting to communicate the essential stories of climate change. Here’s a chance to meet with and learn from some of the early practitioners in this field working in key bio-regions around the world.
There is an increasing amount of environmental and climate-related data being generated by everything from satellites to sensors to undersea robots. But accessing, analyzing and understanding this data can be a challenge. Meanwhile, continuous advances in digital media technology are making it ever easier for journalists, scientists, activists and other communicators to build their own custom-designed sites that can visualize data, generate custom maps and display stories in a variety of media formats.
GeoJournalism is a branch of data journalism that combines these approaches to create online platforms that provide scientific evidence for stories and narrative context for data. In this panel, innovators from Brazil, South Africa, South Asia, Indonesia, Central Africa and the US talk about their strategies and challenges, and answer your questions about this intriguing new approach to communication.
What Learning Opportunities Will Be Available?
- How to combine maps, data and traditional story-telling in building online platforms
- How to access and visualize environmental and climate-related data
- How to build networks of journalists, technologists, scientists and developers to communicate climate change and environmental issues
Reference Sites for Background Reading and Review
- www.geojournalism.org – contains numerous tutuorials on using data, maps and stories
- www.infoamazonia.org – a GeoJournalism site focused on the nine-country Amazon region
- www.thethirdpole.net – a news and GeoJournalism site focused on climate and water issues in the Himalayan region and in downstream countries
- www.ekuatorial.com – a news and GeoJournalism site focused on Indonesia
- www.infocongo.org – a GeoJournalism site focused on Central Africa and the Congo Basin
- www.oxpeckers.org – a GeoJournalism site focused on the rhino horn trade with a new ClimaTracker site
- www.openearth.net – a new global platform featuring thousands of stories from regional GeoJournalism sites on climate change and related issues
- www.earthjournalism.net – The website for Internews’ Earth Journalism Network, a global community of over 8,000 journalists, featuring news, reporter resources and opportunities to apply for grants, Fellowships and training opportunities
