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Four years ago, we made a decision. Out of all the pressing issues in the world, climate change is the most concerning. We questioned ourselves: what can the Guardian contribute? The solution: to consistently cover this urgent situation – its origins, effects, and solutions – every day. To persistently urge governments and companies to take immediate action, to implement positive changes, and to follow through on their commitments. And to also examine our own organization and ensure that we are practicing what we advocate for.

We are currently informing our readers and supporters about the advancements we have made on six important commitments. This year, we have placed a greater emphasis on preserving the natural world.

1.

We will uphold our established reputation for producing impactful environmental journalism, renowned globally for its excellence and impartiality.

Our authoritative coverage of environmental issues reaches a wide audience through various mediums, making a significant impact. Our in-depth coverage of climate and nature crises brings attention to these urgent matters and influences both individuals and policies.

The Guardian has a team of over 12 journalists who specialize in reporting on climate change, biodiversity, and climate justice. They are located in the UK, US, Australia, Europe, and the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. The publication works with its foreign correspondents and other experts in their newsrooms to provide comprehensive coverage of this pressing issue that impacts all aspects of our daily lives. Additionally, they collaborate with other media outlets to ensure their work reaches a wide audience for the common good.

As a non-partisan media outlet, our coverage of environmental issues will not be swayed by corporate or political agendas. Instead, we combat false information and sensationalism by providing factual journalism, guided by the Guardian’s mission and principles.

2.

We will provide updates on the impacts of climate change on individuals and biodiversity, including during times of severe weather occurrences.

We acknowledge that underprivileged and marginalized communities, who are the least responsible for climate and nature crises, are often the most impacted. We ensure to conduct interviews with individuals whose lives and livelihoods are greatly affected, as well as the impact on the environment.

In addition to firsthand accounts of severe weather incidents, we also report on recent scientific findings linking these heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and droughts to human-induced global warming. This shows how the significant levels of carbon emissions generated by humanity are pushing the climate to unprecedented and catastrophic levels.

We provide coverage on strategies, concepts, and resolutions that will not only effectively decrease emissions and preserve the environment, but also promote a more just and equal society.

3.

We plan to release current international measures of the emergency and utilize phrasing that acknowledges its seriousness.

In 2019, the Guardian implemented new language guidelines that aim to better describe the environmental challenges the world is currently facing. We have recently revised these guidelines to utilize the term “nature crisis” instead of “biodiversity crisis,” as we believe it is easier to understand and connect with.

In our reporting, we consistently highlight the links between the climate crisis and the crisis in nature. We also integrate the most recent scientific findings into our coverage. Additionally, we hold countries and businesses accountable for any harm they cause to the natural world, just as we do for their impact on climate.

We make sure our readers have current information by publishing the daily increase of carbon in the atmosphere and extensively covering the concerning global rise in temperatures.

4.

By 2030, we aim to reduce our emissions by two-thirds and minimize our impact on the environment.

We acknowledge that our actions have a larger effect on the environment than just greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, we previously declared that we would conduct a study to understand the Guardian’s impact on nature. We have currently released our results and a course of action.

Initially, we are enhancing our purchasing procedures to evaluate suppliers based on their environmental influence, and creating updated instructions for employees to make sustainable purchases.

We are still tracking our advancement towards our objective of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 66% by the year 2030. This objective has been officially approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, which was a promise we made in 2021.

5.

Our goal is to separate our business and financial ties from companies that extract fossil fuels.

Starting in January 2020, The Guardian made the decision to reject advertising from any companies involved in extracting fossil fuels. This puts us in a small group of media publishers who have taken this stance.

Since we announced our pledge to divest the Scott Trust endowment from fossil fuels in 2015, we have almost fully eliminated our exposure in our public portfolio, and we are using our private portfolio to speed up the transition to renewable energy use. The endowment is also taking steps to understand the impact of its investments on the climate emergency and nature loss, and identify ways for mitigation. The endowment is a participating investor in Nature Action 100, a global investor initiative to drive greater corporate ambition and action.

6.

We will openly communicate our progress.

We recently released our newest report on sustainability and how we are making a positive impact. It contains information about our greenhouse gas emissions and the measures we are implementing to decrease them. Our emissions have decreased by 30% within the first two years of our 10-year plan. We have also completed an audit of our emissions for the past financial year, and these findings will be made public in the near future. As we work towards reducing our carbon footprint, we are also aiming to lessen our impact on the environment by including biodiversity in our emissions reduction strategies.

In 2019, The Guardian became the first major global news outlet to receive B Corp certification. In 2023, we were re-certified, achieving a higher score and showing advancements in nearly every area. This demonstrates the enhancements we have implemented in our management, employment practices, and environmental impact during the previous three years.

Source: theguardian.com