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
Brazil: Oil exploitation project worries fishermen at Amazon River estuary
As in most communities in the Amazon where such large-scale projects take place, residents fear damage to their communities.
Sustainable innovations: Dang, Nepal turns dung into energy
Nearly 90 percent of the garbage in Dang district's semi-rural Ghorahi city is biomass that includes kitchen waste, farm residue and livestock dung that can be turned into flammable methane gas.
In Turkey, when forests are not on fire, they are being destroyed by greedy men in suits
The ruling government lacks any green vision, prioritizes the economy at the expense of the environment, and allows greedy companies to fill in their coffers at the expense of citizens.
Permission to restore century-old houseboats in Kashmir's Dal Lake is a welcome move for tourism
The recent government decision to withdraw a five decade old ban on repairs, comprehensive facelifts and restorations of interiors of all the century-old houseboats in Kashmir was welcomed by all.
Gay penguin parenthood stories ruffle some conservative feathers
From Australia to United States, some conservatives are blocking the inclusion of gay penguin stories in schools and libraries.
Heavy rains return to Pakistan, raising concerns about flood preparedness
Dozens of people had been killed in different parts of Pakistan due to rain and floods in the last week of June there are alerts of more rain in July.
Himalayan icecap is melting faster than predicted
A newly published study predicts that Himalayan glaciers could lose up to 80 percent of their ice mass by this century, impacting two billion people living downstream in Asian countries.
Can Hong Kong afford its planned artificial island construction project?
In addition to the irreversible damage to Hong Kong's marine life and sea beds, the city’s fiscal reserves may be completely drained in a decade or so thanks to the pricy project.
Award winning environmentalist empowers women cotton pickers in Pakistan
Global Voices interviewed environmentalist Javed Hussain who received the prestigious ‘Gender Just Climate Solution Award’ for his work to secure the rights for women cotton pickers in Pakistan.
#StandWithBach: Support for detained environment lawyer who is on hunger strike in Vietnam
Vietnamese lawyer Dang Dinh Bach has been in detention since June 2021 and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for tax evasion after criticizing the government for its environmental policies.
Rumors blame Ukrainian saboteurs for setting wildfires in Russia
Alexandra Arkhipova, an anthropologist and folklorist, argues that the belief in "Ukrainian saboteurs" is a classic example of a social phenomenon known as "moral panic."
Historic ruling in Ecuador shows clash between global demand for minerals and protecting biodiversity
"This renewed demand for extracting minerals puts strain on the previously uncrossed borders of places with megadiverse ecosystems," according to the lawyer Varela.
China is tackling its food crisis by turning forests into farmland
Although China’s total grain output — 686.53 million tons in 2022 — could fully feed its 1.3 billion population, it is still looking to convert massive swaths of forest and green space to farmland.
A Nepali man’s mission to document all the orchids found in Nepal
Global Voices interviewed Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti to talk about his journey from a Nepalese boy admiring orchids on his way to school, to an internationally renowned orchid expert and researcher.
Lao political, environmental activist survives gun attack
A activist in Laos was the victim of an attempted extrajudicial murder. As he recovers in the hospital, human rights watchdogs are calling on the government to investigate the crime.
Culture and conservation at Nepal's first bird sanctuary
The Ghodaghodi Lake Area, home to Nepal's first bird sanctuary, is culturally important to the indigenous Tharu people and this may have played a significant role in its preservation.
Six films on Asia-Pacific communities addressing the climate crisis
These films feature stories of communities fighting against the adverse impact of climate change and inspiring hope in addressing the climate crisis through their efforts and solidarity.
Brazil's ex-vice president admitted the need to fight illegal mining in Yanomami territory, but failed to act
A humanitarian crisis at Brazil's largest Indigenous land, the Yanomami land, made headlines this year. Agencia Publica exposes how the former VP dealt with the issue in closed doors meetings of the Legal Amazon National Council.
Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism legislation will force big polluters to cut carbon emissions
"Implementation of the safeguard mechanism bodes well for Australian #climate policy and may also pave the way for carbon pricing beyond the industry sector."
The rubble after Turkey's earthquake may have a disastrous environmental impact
Two months after the earthquake, officials are facing challenges over where to dump the waste and rubble from the destroyed buildings and roads and how to dispose of it.
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.