Bringing Social Justice Into Ocean Science Reporting at WCSJ

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The ocean is facing grave threats from climate change, overfishing, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Emerging industries such as deep-sea mining and marine geoengineering are adding further pressure. 

As well as ensuring that reporting on these topics is scientifically accurate, journalists must ensure that the voices of those most impacted are included. How can journalists access on-the-ground sources and bring in diverse perspectives of coastal communities in an equitable way? What are some of the topics and regions that are particularly important? For reporters, what is the potential for local partners to achieve greater equitable representation, and how can cross-border collaborations build capacity? 

Join the Pulitzer Center at this year's 13th World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ) in Pretoria, South Africa, on December 2, 2025, for a panel made of journalists and editors who have faced these questions in their reporting and explore challenges and opportunities for bringing social justice into ocean science reporting.

Panelists:

Frankie Adkins, Pulitzer Center grantee 

Carl Smith, Pulitzer Center grantee

Barry Christianson, Pulitzer Center grantee

Detty Saluling, Senior Program Manager of Pulitzer Center Rainforest Reporting