Turnbull Center to Host Seminar for Journalists on Covering Climate Change

Business Wire, May 14, 2007

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Climate change is moving beyond journalism's science pages and into business, finance, outdoor, lifestyle, health and political beats. More than ever, reporters in every part of the newsroom must understand climate change and explain it to the public.

On June 9, The George S. Turnbull Portland Center of the UO School of Journalism and Communication, the Climate Leadership Initiative at the UO, and the Society of Environmental Journalists will host a day-long seminar for journalists on one of the most pressing and debated issues of our time: climate change. The conference includes presentations and panel debates by national and regional scientists, economists and policy experts, as well as journalists who are reporting the issue and dealing with issues of fairness.

Participating in the conference are key members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change including Stephen Schneider of Stanford University and Richard Harris, science reporter for National Public Radio.

"Broad research has established that climate change is already affecting the economy and social welfare of the Pacific Northwest, and those impacts will increase in magnitude the warmer it gets," said conference coordinator Bob Doppelt, director of the Climate Leadership Initiative at the University of Oregon. "Given the pervasiveness of the issue, people need to know what is driving these changes, what can be done, and how they can do it. Journalists will play a key role in helping citizens understand these issues."

The conference is set for Saturday, June 9, 2007, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ecotrust/Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center, Ste. 200, 721 N.W. 9th Ave., in Portland's Pearl District. The $50 registration fee includes lunch. For registration, contact Seth Walker, 503-725-9073, seth@uoregon.edu.

Link: Event Web site, http://climlead.uoregon.edu/programs/mediaconf.html