David Hasemyer has shaped climate reporting through four decades of investigative rigor. Currently a senior correspondent at Inside Climate News, his work bridges scientific complexity and human impact.
For story inquiries, reference his recent work on Inside Climate News and High Country News.
We’ve followed David Hasemyer’s work for decades, observing how his investigative rigor and narrative depth have reshaped environmental journalism. His career—spanning over 40 years—exemplifies a commitment to uncovering systemic failures and amplifying marginalized voices in climate discourse.
Hasemyer’s journey began at the San Diego Union-Tribune, where he spent 30 years honing his investigative skills. Early breakthroughs included exposing police corruption and prosecutorial misconduct, leading to overturned wrongful convictions. His transition to environmental reporting at InsideClimate News marked a pivotal shift, aligning his tenacity with urgent climate crises.
This 2025 investigation explores how climate-driven beaver migration disrupts Arctic ecosystems. Hasemyer combines hydrology data with Indigenous oral histories to document cascading impacts on permafrost stability and traditional fishing practices. The article’s methodology—blending satellite imagery analysis with community interviews—set a new standard for localized climate storytelling. Its impact prompted Alaska’s legislature to allocate $2M for beaver management research.
Through FOIA requests and GIS mapping, Hasemyer exposed how rising sea levels and storm surges endanger toxic waste containment systems. The piece revealed regulatory gaps in EPA climate adaptation planning, leading to bipartisan calls for revised Superfund risk assessments. Its findings were cited in a 2024 Senate hearing on infrastructure resilience.
This 2024 analysis of aging Western U.S. pipelines combined corrosion data with climate projections to identify high-risk spill zones. Hasemyer’s discovery of unmonitored erosion near the Colorado River spurred pipeline operators to accelerate inspection schedules by 300%.
Hasemyer prioritizes stories where climate change intersects with human-engineered systems. His Georgia Superfund investigation exemplifies this niche—pitch data-rich analyses of dams, pipelines, or industrial sites facing climate stressors. Avoid generic climate science; emphasize specific failure points and regulatory oversights.
His Arctic beaver study demonstrates how traditional ecological knowledge can ground technical reporting. Successful pitches will bridge scientific data with community-led adaptation strategies, particularly in underrepresented regions like the Pacific Northwest or Gulf Coast.
Following his ExxonMobil work, Hasemyer seeks stories exposing delayed corporate climate action. Pitch ideas that track fossil fuel subsidies, greenwashing tactics, or lobbying efforts against environmental regulations. Include actionable documents—leaked memos or shareholder reports—to strengthen proposals.
“The Exxon series wasn’t just about the past—it was a roadmap for holding power accountable in the climate era.”
Beavers Are Flooding the Warming Alaskan Arctic, Threatening Fish, Water and Indigenous Traditions
In Georgia, 16 Superfund Sites Are Threatened by Extreme Weather Linked to Climate Change
Structural Integrity of the Pipeline and Potential Oil Spills Are at Risk
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Environment, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
