Whether reporting on sea-level rise, crop failures, or natural disasters, journalists are often the bearers of bleak news about global warming.

But Liza Gross of the Solutions Journalism Network says that the bad news on climate is not the only news. And she says that unrelenting negative coverage can turn viewers and readers off from engaging with the issue.

“If there is no hope, then why would I even read about it or listen to a broadcast or watch a video about it?” she says.

So the Solutions Journalism Network trains journalists to cover what Gross calls the whole story.

“In addition to covering societal challenges with journalistic rigor, we also cover solutions and responses to these challenges with equal journalistic rigor,” she says.

For example, that means reporting on renewable energy projects, coral reef restoration efforts, or stories of how communities come together after natural disasters.

The goal is not to comfort people or distract them from the seriousness of problems like climate change.

Rather, Gross says by providing evidence-based, in-depth stories on effective solutions to these problems, journalists can help enrich people’s understanding of the issue.

Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media.