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Access to clean water is a human right. And yet, access to clean water — not to mention water rights and sustainable sources of water for farming and small communities — is oftentimes limited for some communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities. Even in the western United States, where water rights are based on prior appropriation — first in time, first in line — and tribes have the oldest water rights, legal mechanisms and financial restraints keep them from accessing the water they own.

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The world is experiencing an "insect apocalypse" — at least according to some researchers. Recent studies have shown large declines in insect biomass in places such as Germany and Puerto Rico. Other investigators say there isn’t enough data yet to declare an Armageddon. Regardless, everyone agrees more data is needed — scientists have identified 1 million bugs but there could be 30 times that on Earth — so conservationists can prioritize what to protect. During this session, we’ll talk about both the importance of insects to life around the globe as well as some of the threats that six-legged creatures face from human interference and what can be done about it.

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As the Trump administration continues to dismantle strides made to fight the climate crisis, some states, cities and even corporations are not waiting for federal leadership anymore. We’ve assembled a panel of experts representing top national success stories who will speak directly to the accelerating efforts from the “bottom up” climate fight. This is a topic that can be applied to any news market for journalists attending this panel. Don’t miss it.

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As the first state to legalize cannabis, Colorado has learned a lot about cannabis’ environmental impacts — on water and lands, its electricity use and carbon emissions, and the consequences of waste and pollution. Today, the state is leading the way to make cannabis production more sustainable, from cultivation to disposal. Hear from an industry-leading small business owner, the lead environmental cannabis consultant at the state level and a cannabis journalist about the evolution and future of cannabis' environmental impacts in Colorado and beyond.

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With government agencies increasingly prohibiting their staff from talking to reporters, how can the press find out what the public needs and has a right to know? In this session, we’ll talk about the uses and abuses of the Freedom of Information Act and share tips on how to work around recalcitrant PIOs. We’ll also hear about a new initiative of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to provide legal help to local or regional news organizations and journalists to pursue enterprise and investigative journalism.

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This session will focus on the process behind creating visual journalism on environmental issues. Panelists will show and discuss projects that illustrate where ideas come from, research and planning strategies, and approaches to visualization. The goal is to offer insight to improve quality and depth of visual environmental journalism. Three visual professionals in magazine and newspaper journalism and filmmaking will participate, with moderation by a veteran visual environmental journalist. Plenty of time will be set aside for discussion and questions.

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People of diverse genders, sexual orientations and races have long called the West home — Indigenous people longer than anyone. But media coverage continues to view the landscape through a lens focused on white settlers and the hyper-masculine — think cowboys and roughnecks. Panelists will explore how misogyny, patriarchy, heteronormativity and racism mean so many voices are still neglected because of structural forces in our society. The panel offers ideas about how environmental journalists can make their stories on federal lands more relevant and more authentic by being more inclusive.

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At a variety of institutions aiming to foster progress on tough issues, a shift is underway from telling a convincing story to shaping a better conversation. Should media follow suit? The idea: Rather than report on a meeting, hold the meeting — and another, and another, fostering trust and crosstalk and generating stories. This brainstorming Craft Session features practitioners from the “Your Voice Ohio” newsroom and “Rural Climate Dialogues” project, along with the U.S. Geological Survey’s John Wesley Powell Center — where scientists are led through mediations aimed at breaking deadlocStoryteller to Mediator — A New Path for Solutions-Focused Journalists?ks on research frontiers. The discussion will include insights from the Solutions Journalism Network and be led by Andy Revkin, who’s building a new initiative on communication and sustainability at Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

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Colorado is an epicenter of outdoor culture. Running, hiking, biking, camping, skiing, fishing. You’ve got it all. But there are already concerns here — and around the world — about overtourism, overuse and equitable access to outdoor opportunities in what has traditionally been a very white space. And, whether it's melting snow or extreme heats, climate change is set to further shift how we recreate. From athlete and diversity voices, to the impacts of the climate crisis, this panel will explore how we, as journalists, can best cover such an evolving industry.

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Experienced reporters will share practical tips on how to cover Indigenous communities and produce culturally competent, high-impact work. From picking stories to maintaining relationships with communities, this panel will be ideal for newsrooms looking to cover tribal affairs effectively.