The national conversation around climate change is shifting. There's more focus on energy affordability and demand, as well as on the dual role artificial intelligence plays as both a climate problem and potential tool for lowering emissions. Likewise, there's been a shift in how the media covers these issues.

Research shows that news coverage of climate has declined in recent years — as have the number of local newsrooms. Yet, surveys indicate that news consumers want more coverage of climate change. So do reporters and editors, based on strong interest in the Energy Journalism Fellowship at the Center on Global Energy Policy.

So what's the state of energy and climate journalism? How have shrinking newsrooms, eroding trust in news institutions, and the rise of AI impacted this beat? And what are the most powerful levers energy and climate reporters can use right now to reach wider audiences and cover the energy transition thoroughly and with integrity?

This week, Bill Loveless talks to Amy Harder about the state of energy and climate journalism.

Amy is the national energy correspondent for Axios and has been covering energy and climate for more than 15 years. She was among the first reporters to join Axios after its launch in 2017, but from 2021 until earlier this year she was founding executive editor of Cipher News, backed by Breakthrough Energy, a network of clean energy organizations. She began her career at National Journal, and then worked for The Wall Street Journal.

Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

Amy Harder on Climate and Energy Reporting