Making It Count: Using Data to Tell Stories from the Climate Crisis

We are already seeing the impacts of the climate crisis, and many are so wide-ranging and devastating that they are difficult to comprehend. Many journalists are taking the skills and techniques of data journalism and applying these to the disastrous ramifications of climate change.

Much of the time, it is only through this work to bring forward the human stories that lie behind the numbers that we, as readers, are able to truly understand the ecological collapse our exploitation of the planet is causing. Four journalists talk through the methods they use to find, understand and tell these stories.

Michèle Ebongue (Cameroon) – looks at the data which shows devastating destruction of mangroves and what it means for the local community and for the environment.
With area losses estimated at 6.2% per year, or 31% over the last 5 years, Douala-Bonabéri has experienced the highest rate of destruction of mangroves in the Wouri Estuary. The socio-economic crisis in the North-West and South-West regions, the carelessness of populations and State projects are among the major causes of pressure on the mangroves in the Douala 4th district.
Environment: about 31% of mangroves lost in 5 years in Bonabéri (datacameroon.com)

Arun Karki and Basant Pratap Singh (Nepal) – write about the schools washed away by floods in Nepal – and look at pupils and communities behind the numbers.
Schools washed away by flood – The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur National Daily

Gianluca Liva (Italy) – uses data and maps to tell the story of PFAS – compounds with unique properties that do not degrade in the environment. This is why they are called “eternal pollutants”. He was responsible, together with French and German colleagues, for the big map and the hundreds of datasets that were used to create it. Gianluca also did the first comprehensive scientific overview (published in Le Scienze – Scientific American) of what PFAS – actually – are.

PFAS, the case of the Spinetta Marengo Chemical Centre. Part 1: the People (Radar Magazine).
PFAS, the case of the Spinetta Marengo Chemical Centre. Part 2: the Institutions (Radar Magazine).
PFAS, the case of the Spinetta Marengo Chemical Centre. Part 3: the Company (Radar Magazine).

Chaired by the CIJ OCRI Project Manager Adeolu Adekola.

This talk is part of the CIJ Climate OCRI Networking event at #CIJSummer Conference. Supported by Journalimsfund EU.

This talk will be recorded.