Over the last decade, natural disasters have become increasingly severe, frequent, and dangerous and have impacted more and more people around the world. Wildfires have ravaged nations and terrorized towns; coastal ecosystems have been damaged — some beyond repair, impacting our fishing industries, tourism, and other wildlife; and island nations and coastal communities have seen their land wash away and disappear as if it was never there. But even as more people take notice of the changes wrought by the climate crisis, our governments’ responses have been lackluster and our media landscape has failed to reflect the reality on the ground.
These changes have already been affecting low-income, coastal, and Indigenous communities for decades, even as community leaders have called for decisive international climate action — calls that have too often gone unheeded. While it is understandably easy to turn to despair amid this crisis, those who are most affected by these changes do not have that luxury, and are instead seeking out innovative, community-based climate solutions. Global Voices hopes to promote these stories of resilience by reporting on environmental stories through an intersectional lens that prioritizes local knowledge and experiences.
To that end, our community has established the Green Voices initiative — a collective of environmentally focused journalists, translators, and stakeholders who seek to use our global perspective to raise awareness about environmental issues and those affected by them. Green Voices meets virtually twice a month to discuss environmental news in our communities, identify underrepresented voices, plan our coverage of these topics, and offer support in a field that can often feel overwhelming. In a true Global Voices spirit, we believe that insightful journalism is made possible by community, companionship, and collaboration.
Each month, approximately 15–20 percent of Global Voices’ articles address environmental challenges or advocacy efforts around the world. We are committed to sharing underreported stories about the climate crisis and environmental exploitation, with a particular focus on rural communities and local initiatives guided by women and Indigenous groups aimed at preserving, bolstering, or rehabilitating the environment. We leverage Global Voices’ international community to report on issues that are often reduced to abstract data with nuance, humanity, and a local perspective.
Some stories that have grown out of Green Club collaborations include “How a swimming pool became Puerto Rico's symbol of climate change and corruption,” “Kanal Istanbul, Turkey's Middle Corridor, and the Belt and Road Initiative,” and “How Assamese Villages use traditional wisdom to guide climate preparedness.” Our stories explore these issues from an intersectional perspective, revealing how environmental issues can impact women, youth, people with disabilities, and vulnerable populations, and can exacerbate existing inequalities.
If you would like to participate in Green Voices or join the discussion, email our green club coordinator Sydney Allen!
See some of our recent environmental stories below.
Stories about Green Voices from March, 2023
Protecting conservation areas in Nepal from infrastructure development
Balancing development and conservation has been a longstanding challenge for countries like Nepal. Poorly planned highways, power lines, or railways now threaten to undo Nepal's conservation success.
Is India's transition to clean energy achievable or an empty promise?
India is commiting to combatting climate change by accelerating its transition to clean energy. However, its slow transition pace and limited green budget do not reflect that.
Pacific voices call for urgent global climate action
Several initiatives highlight stories, narratives, and art performances that articulate the appeal of Pacific Island nations for a more decisive global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Poisonings and evictions in Paraguay driven by Europe's meat industry
McDonald's, KFC, and Carrefour, among others, sell meat produced with soybeans linked to human rights violations in Paraguay.