Two Tyee Writers Are Finalists for a Climate Coverage Prize

Two Tyee contributors are finalists for the Canadian Association of Journalists' Environmental and Climate Change Award.

Michelle Gamage, who covers The Tyee’s climate beat, was selected for her story “Everything Is Burning and Your House Is Gone,” which resulted from 10 days spent talking to survivors of last summer’s wildfires in B.C.

Gamage keyed off compelling first-person accounts to identify a number of factors that compounded the tragedy, pointing to changes needed for survival and resilience as B.C. faces a mounting climate crisis.

Sean Holman, a veteran investigative reporter and professor of journalism who is a frequent contributor to the Tyee, was nominated for his article “Fact Checking Patrick Moore, Climate Skeptic,” a deep dive into Moore’s new book Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom as it gained traction on bestseller lists and favourable coverage by Postmedia and other media.

Holman dismantled Moore’s depictions of supposedly false alarms about climate change by going straight to the scientists the controversial author quotes to support his assertions. One after another disavowed his claims and said Moore had mischaracterized their work.

The CAJ says its award is intended to recognize journalism that has “contributed to improving the understanding and awareness of the evolving climate crisis and its impact on the daily lives and well-being of people.”

The award is sponsored by the Science Media Centre of Canada.

The CAJ describes itself as “an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides advocacy and professional development for journalists across Canada.”

“I’m so proud of the work Michelle Gamage has done for The Tyee on the climate beat,” said Tyee managing editor andrea bennett, noting the piece the CAJ is recognizing exemplifies the reporter’s skills.

Gamage “expertly faced the challenge of pulling together a feature that showed the human side of disaster, while also weaving in an exploration of larger questions about government response to wildfire in populated rural areas, and home insurance inequities, specifically those affecting First Nations survivors living on-reserve,” said bennett, who edited the piece.

“It's terrific to see Sean Holman's piece fact-checking Patrick Moore's latest book recognized," said Tyee senior editor Paul Willcocks, who edited Holman’s lengthy piece. "Sean dug into the science, and contacted researchers around the world who Moore had cited. It's the kind of deep research that's sets Holman and The Tyee apart."

The other three finalists in the category published pieces in CBC British Columbia, the Narwhal and La Presse Canadienne.