Challenging Climate

30. Andrew Revkin on climate journalism - its evolution, perils and narrative capture

February 21, 2023 Jesse Reynolds and Pete Irvine Episode 30
Challenging Climate
30. Andrew Revkin on climate journalism - its evolution, perils and narrative capture
Show Notes Chapter Markers

Andrew Revkin is one of the world's leading science and environmental journalists, with over 30 years' experience thinking and writing about climate change and sustainability. He has written at The New York Times and ProPublica, and his current outlet is “Sustain What?” at Substack. He is also the founding director of the new Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at Columbia University's Earth Institute. 

In this episode, Revkin shares his remarkable journalistic experiences, such as reporting from the Arctic, and how media and the climate discussion have evolved throughout his career. Our discussion is dynamic and wide-ranging, from extreme weather, to narrative capture, to tackling questions posed in previous episodes like climate doomism and ‘Is 1.5ºC still alive?’ 

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Introduction and background
How did you become an environmental journalist?
Coining the term ‘Anthrocene’ (later ‘Anthropocene’)
Adapting to and adopting new forms of media
The allures of narrative capture
Inflexion points in Revkin’s thinking during his career in climate journalism
The problems with media and climate change
The role of media in spreading climate doomism
That four-hour interview with Bjorn Lomborg
Is 1.5ºC still alive?
Is climate change crowding out other important environmental issues?
Do you think we will be better off, or worse off in 50 years’ time?