About
In March 2025, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed that the past 10 years have been the hottest decade in nearly two centuries of record-keeping. Climate change is no longer just a scientific issue or political talking point, it’s the defining global story of our time. It touches every aspect of modern life, from infrastructure and investment to food systems, migration, health, and cultural identity.
Yet in many newsrooms, climate coverage remains siloed, often assigned to a single beat. In reality, climate is every beat, and every beat is climate.
Recognizing this urgent shift, Boston College’s Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, in partnership with Journalism and Environmental Studies, is launching a bold new initiative:
“Climate Is Every Story” — a year-long series of events, media training, and student-led storytelling designed to transform how the climate crisis is understood, communicated, and acted upon.
A Campus-Wide Collaboration
This initiative is grounded in the belief that effective climate communication must reach across disciplines, professions, and generations. Journalism plays a critical role in shaping public understanding and policy responses, but climate storytelling can no longer rest solely on the shoulders of a few environmental reporters. It requires collaboration across academia, media, and civil society.
How It Will Work
Faculty Working Group
A group of 10–15 faculty members from across disciplines will participate in media training sessions led by instructors from the Journalism Program, including ILA Fellows and visiting experts. These faculty members will also serve as panelists and contributors throughout the event series.
Event Series (2025–26)
The year will feature a four-part public event series including panels, small-group discussions, and networking lunches. Each event will host prominent journalists who will be paired with BC faculty to explore how climate intersects with politics, business, health, culture, and beyond.
Climate Is Every Story Digital Magazine
This digital magazine, hosted by the Schiller Institute, covers the event series and is a home for campus-wide climate news. It is populated primarily by student-produced media, giving Journalism students an opportunity to develop their skills in interviewing, event coverage, and multimedia.
Why This, Why Now
The media environment has never been more precarious. Amid industry layoffs and shrinking local newsrooms, the need for high-quality, interdisciplinary climate journalism has never been greater. A recent survey by the Earth Journalism Network found that 76% of environmental journalists cite a lack of newsroom support as a barrier to reporting.
This project directly responds to that challenge by preparing Boston College faculty and students to contribute to climate discourse through journalism—and by helping journalists better access the science, insights, and stories emerging from university research.
