CASW co-launches Climate News Task Force

Eleven climate newsrooms are joining forces to form the Climate News Task Force (CNTF) to increase and improve climate journalism collaborations and innovate new solutions to current challenges. 

Working together, CNTF members will:

• Support collaboration between newsrooms by developing new relationships, tools, and platforms for sharing content, measuring impact, and increasing capacity; and
• Develop a funding roadmap with consensus recommendations for philanthropic donors seeking to provide financial support for increasing and improving climate news.

“The climate crisis is the biggest story on the planet, but climate journalists cannot keep up with audience demand for credible, accurate, and impactful climate news,” said Floodlight founder and executive director Emily Holden, who leads strategy for CNTF. “Covering climate change requires newsrooms to devote significant resources, time, and expertise to the topic—all of which are in short supply in today’s media landscape.”

In 2023, climate represented less than 1% of total major network content, while only 8% of U.S. journalists reported that they cover energy or environmental issues, compared with 28% who cover politics.

“To increase civic engagement with climate change and encourage policies in the public interest, we need to increase climate journalism, but there’s not enough funding,” said Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) executive director Meaghan Parker, who leads administration and fundraising for CNTF. “With support from our visionary foundation partners, CNTF will recommend ways philanthropy can support editorially independent climate news production at scale.”

CNTF is supported by grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Meliore Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation. 

“We are excited to explore innovative possibilities for building new tools, methods of sharing content for cross publishing and other collaborative solutions to increase the reach and impact of newsrooms who work together,” said Reynolds Journalism Institute director of innovation Kat Duncan, who is leading the convening, task force activities, and tool/platform development. “We will be working with CNTF members to devise innovative solutions that can help newsrooms across the country become more collaborative, sustainable and impactful.” 

“The Climate News Task Force will increase and improve media outlets’ engagement with audiences by developing highly accurate, compelling, and trustworthy climate information. As a result, this journalism will support better decision-making by members of the public and leaders at all levels,” said Robin Lloyd, president of CASW’s Board of Directors. “We hope this collaborative task force will serve as a model for other underreported beats and for the broader coverage of science, health, and environmental issues.”

CNTF members represent a wide range of nonprofit news outlets and regional collaborations with experience covering climate change: 

• Canary Media
• Drilled
• Floodlight
• Grist 
• High Country News
• Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk 
• Mother Jones/Reveal 
• Mountain West News Bureau 
• Planet Detroit 
• Sentient 
• Wisconsin Watch

If you have questions about the Climate News Task Force or would like to support our efforts, demo a tool, or pitch an idea, please contact us at cntf@newscollaborative.org.

The Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) is a 65-year-old non-profit organization that is committed to improving the quantity and quality of science news reaching the public. CASW develops and funds programs to help reporters and writers produce accurate and informative stories about developments in science, technology, medicine and the environment.

Floodlight is an independent nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action. 

The Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) at the University of Missouri School of Journalism empowers journalists with knowledge, tools, and funding to strengthen journalism through practical innovation.