COVID-19 Lessons for Journalists Covering the Climate Crisis

The authors contend that the COVID-19 pandemic serves as a 'test run' for the climate crisis, demonstrating the danger of ignoring science and the importance of independent, fact-based journalism. They advocate for a reporting approach that resists government pressure, highlights credible remedies, and emphasizes scientific rigor. To implement this, the Covering Climate Now collaboration, which includes over 400 news outlets, launched a coordinated week of coverage for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day focusing on broad climate solutions, including technical fixes, policy reforms like carbon pricing, and civic actions.

• The authors identify parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, stating that both require respect for science, early intervention to 'flatten the curve', and preparation for unavoidable impacts.
• The document asserts that independent journalism is essential during crises to prevent governments from hiding dangers or downplaying threats, citing the lack of an independent press in China and the actions of Donald Trump in the United States as examples.
• Covering Climate Now, a collaboration of more than 400 news outlets reaching nearly 2 billion people, organized a week of coverage for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day to focus on climate solutions.
• The collaboration defines climate solutions broadly, encompassing technical fixes, policy reforms such as ending fossil fuel subsidies and pricing carbon, and civic actions including voting and protesting.

APA

Hertsgaard, M., & Pope, K. (2020). COVID-19 Lessons for Journalists Covering the Climate Crisis. Covering Climate Now. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covid-19-lessons-for-journalists-covering-the-climate-crisis/

Chicago

Hertsgaard, Mark, and Kyle Pope. COVID-19 Lessons for Journalists Covering the Climate Crisis. Covering Climate Now, 2020. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covid-19-lessons-for-journalists-covering-the-climate-crisis/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Hertsgaard |first1=Mark |last2=Pope |first2=Kyle |title=COVID-19 Lessons for Journalists Covering the Climate Crisis |publisher=Covering Climate Now |date=21 April 2020 |url=https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covid-19-lessons-for-journalists-covering-the-climate-crisis/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{hertsgaard2020covid19, author = {Hertsgaard, Mark and Pope, Kyle}, title = {{COVID-19 Lessons for Journalists Covering the Climate Crisis}}, publisher = {Covering Climate Now}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covid-19-lessons-for-journalists-covering-the-climate-crisis/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }