When New York Times climate reporter Lisa Friedman traveled to northern Alaska following the approval of the Willow oil drilling project, she expected to cover a familiar climate story. What she found was more complex.
In towns like Utqiaġvik and Nuiqsut, climate change is not a distant scientific concern — it’s a lived reality. Homes are sinking as the ground thaws, and ice cellars are flooding. A sea wall is under construction to hold back an encroaching Arctic Ocean, but it’s being funded by the very oil industry contributing to the warming.
“I found that people were very well aware of the threat of climate change but also fearful that without jobs in the oil industry, they’ll be left with nothing,” Friedman wrote in an email to the Institute. “It’s a complex story to tell, but being on the ground helps reporters tell communities’ stories with the nuance they deserve.”
That nuance is often missing in climate coverage. While data points, expert quotes, and policy language dominate headlines, the perspectives of those directly impacted are frequently overlooked. Yet including these voices can dramatically reshape how climate stories are told.
Why broader sourcing matters
Diversifying your sources isn’t just about representation.
“Making sure your community is fairly and adequately represented is not DEI. It’s just good journalism,” said Letrell Crittenden, the American Press Institute’s director of inclusion and audience growth.
Communities on the frontlines of climate change bring insights that scientists and policymakers might miss.
Friedman said that even experienced reporters can fall into the habit of quoting the same sources. Finding new sources is not only possible, it’s essential and should be part of the job.
“The truth is we go back to these types of people again and again,” Friedman wrote. “But it’s our obligation in the slow times to make the effort to find new voices, and hopefully that also means that the next time we’re on deadline or in a pinch, we’ve got a broader array of people to talk to.”
Building that array takes time. It means showing up, listening, and earning trust. If climate journalism is going to reflect what’s really happening on the ground, it has to start with who’s being asked to speak.
However, it’s important to avoid “tokenism,” simply quoting someone from an underrepresented group to check a diversity box, according to The Open Notebook. Each source should bring meaningful expertise, experience, or perspective that advances the story. Reporters should ask themselves: Does this source add depth and relevance, or am I including them just for diversity’s sake?
Building a broad and varied network of sources helps ensure stories are richer and more authentic, rather than relying repeatedly on the same few voices.
Expanding your source list
Friedman suggested using quieter periods between stories to build relationships and explore new areas of expertise.
“Sometimes I call professors whose work looks interesting and ask for an informal call, to just get an understanding of what they focus on and to get a sense of whether they’d be a good fit for a future story,” Friedman wrote.
She also recommended sitting in on press conferences and webinars to interact with new people and build connections.
Poynter recommends asking yourself if you are engaging with a diverse range of sources, even when the story isn’t explicitly about marginalized groups.
Finding new voices takes time, but it doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. There are already networks, organizations, and tools designed to help journalists connect with communities often left out of climate coverage. Whether you’re looking for Indigenous leaders, rural advocates, or people from underrepresented backgrounds, these resources can offer a starting point:
- Indigenous Environmental Network: A network connecting journalists with contacts and campaigns grounded in Native-led climate justice work.
- Climate Justice Alliance: A national coalition featuring grassroots climate solutions, community-based organizations, and policy work rooted in economic justice.
- Uproot Project: A professional network for environmental journalists of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds, offering mentorship, job support, and tools for more inclusive climate reporting.
- Diverse Sources Database: A searchable directory of experts from all backgrounds, designed to help reporters diversify their source lists.
- Covering Climate Now: A global media collaborative that offers reporting guidance, story leads, and expert contacts to help journalists elevate climate coverage with depth and equity.
Diversifying sources is not just about fairness but about more accurate and resonant reporting. The climate crisis is global, but its effects are deeply local and personal.
In a time of rising temperatures and rising stakes, the most powerful climate stories often begin not with a press release, but with a conversation with someone already living the consequences.
How do you approach building your source network? Share your tips at [email protected].