Climate change and biodiversity guide for journalists

This guide serves as a continuation of the 2022 Guide for Climate Change Journalists and compiles advice and best practices from journalists who have successfully navigated challenges related to climate change reporting: how to capture the attention of an audience saturated with information? How to expand coverage of climate change and nature beyond the environment and natural hazards sections? How to translate scientific advances into accessible knowledge, enabling citizens to actively participate in the transition to a sustainable future? How to remain vigilant against greenwashing and combat misinformation?

In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) we find ourselves in a paradox. On the one hand, the region boasts 40% of the worlds biodiversity, half of the worlds tropical forests, the largest reserve of freshwater, 12% of the worlds mangroves and six of the most megadiverse countries. On the other hand, it is highly threatened by the environmental crisis and the loss of biodiversity: in 50 years, the region has lost 94% of its vertebrate population and holds the highest number of threatened mammals, plants, fish and birds globally. It also presents alarming vulnerability figures, underscoring the interconnection between the loss of natural wealth and climate risks.