WE BELIEVE / THE GUARDIAN

WE BELIEVE

that the escalating climate crisis is the defining issue of our lifetimes and that the planet is in the grip of an emergency. We know that our readers and supporters around the world care passionately about this too, as so many of you have told us

Tue 15 Oct 2019 15.00 BSTFirst published on Tue 15 Oct 2019 15.00 BST

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/oct/16/the-guardians-climate-pledge-2019

We want the Guardian to play a leading role in reporting on the environmental catastrophe. So today at the Guardian we commit to the following:

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 We will continue our longstanding record of powerful environmental reporting, which is known around the world for its quality and independence. In April 2019, the Columbia Journalism Review said, 'For some time now, by far the best daily reporting on climate change has come from the Guardian, which covers the science, politics, economics, and health aspects throughout the world with great force and clarity.' We will prioritise and give prominence to environmental journalism from The Guardian and Observer, bringing you the news and information you need. Our reporting on the environment, from our international team, will never be influenced by commercial or political interests and will always be rooted in scientific fact.

 We will report on how environmental collapse is already affecting people around the world, including during natural disasters and extreme weather events. We will bring you the world’s leading voices on the climate crisis, and we will cover issues across food, travel and lifestyle in order to help readers live sustainably. We will undertake investigations into the economic and political structures that underpin the carbon economy, and examine the role the climate crisis plays in many other critical issues - including inequality, migration and the battle over scarce resources.

 We will use language that recognises the severity of the crisis we’re in. In May 2019, the Guardian updated its style guide to introduce terms that more accurately describe the environmental crises facing the world, using “climate emergency, crisis or breakdown” and “global heating” instead of “climate change” and “global warming”. We want to ensure that we are being scientifically precise, while also communicating clearly with readers on the urgency of this issue.

 The Guardian will achieve net zero emissions by 2030. We are developing a detailed plan for how to achieve this, involving a full audit of our emissions. Our priority will be to reduce our carbon footprint meaningfully and permanently.

 We will be transparent with our progress. We have announced today that we have become the first news organisation to acquire BCorp certification, which means joining a community of businesses from across the globe who openly commit to driving positive societal change. This is an important milestone in public transparency and accountability for our global environmental footprint.

Environmental journalism from the Guardian and the Observer has a powerful impact around the world and we have received financial support from readers in more than 180 countries. This support means we can keep Guardian journalism accessible to everyone. We hope you will consider supporting Guardian journalism today with a contribution or subscription — every form of support, however big or small, is so valuable for our future.