Top Climate Journalists in Australia (2025)

Current Roles:

• Climate & Environment Editor at The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia)
• Contributing Science Writer at Cosmos Magazine

Core Coverage Areas

• Climate change mitigation strategies
• Environmental policy implementation
• Science communication methodologies

Pitching Considerations

Prefers data-rich stories with:

• Clear community impact metrics
• Multidisciplinary research components
• Visualization-ready datasets

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Georgia Wilkins is an award-nominated climate journalist specializing in policy implementation gaps and corporate accountability. Based in Sydney, her work for The Guardian Australia combines investigative rigor with solutions-focused framing.

Key Coverage Areas

• Climate Policy Mechanics: Detailed analysis of legislation’s real-world impacts
• Corporate Sustainability Audits: Tracking pledges versus operational changes
• Community-Led Adaptation: Highlighting Indigenous and local initiatives

Pitching Insights

• Provide access to localized data sets showing climate trends
• Highlight underreported policy implementation challenges
• Focus on measurable outcomes rather than theoretical models

Wilkins’ work continues to shape Australia’s climate discourse, particularly through her ability to make technical policy issues accessible to broad audiences while maintaining scientific accuracy.

As lead environment reporter for The Guardian Australia, Readfearn specializes in investigative climate science reporting with a focus on institutional accountability. His work bridges academic research and public discourse, particularly regarding:

• Climate disinformation networks: Exposing coordinated efforts to undermine climate action
• Ecosystem thresholds: Documenting tipping points in vulnerable biomes
• Policy-science gaps: Analyzing disparities between political commitments and scientific consensus

Pitching Priorities

• Leaked documents showing industry interference in climate policy
• Peer-reviewed research with immediate policy implications
• Multidisciplinary studies linking ecological and social impacts

Recent accolades include the 2023 Walkley Award for his coal industry exposé and recognition by the International Environmental Communication Association for advancing science journalism standards.

Jo Chandler (Melbourne-based) is a Walkley Award-winning journalist specializing in climate justice reporting across Pacific Island nations. Her current work for The Monthly and Griffith Review combines immersive fieldwork with rigorous analysis of environmental policy impacts on Indigenous communities.

Key Coverage Areas

• Climate change adaptation strategies: Documents traditional ecological knowledge in coastal erosion mitigation
• Environmental health crises: Investigates links between ecosystem collapse and disease emergence
• Scientific fieldwork: Reports from Antarctic research stations to PNG jungle labs

Avoid Pitches On

• Urban sustainability initiatives
• Corporate carbon neutrality programs
• Technology-focused climate solutions

Contact & Portfolio

Access recent work through her professional portfolio or University of Melbourne research profile. Pitches requiring PNG/Australia field coordination should allow 6-8 week lead time for ethical clearance processes.

Joe Kelly, National Affairs Editor at The Australian, specializes in climate policy frameworks and sustainable business practices. Based in Canberra, his work dissects how legislative decisions intersect with environmental science and corporate governance.

Key Coverage Areas

• Policy Analysis: Track record of decoding complex legislation, including the 2024 Net-Zero Industry Act amendments.
• Corporate Sustainability: Investigates ESG reporting accuracy, notably exposing discrepancies in mining sector carbon disclosures.
• Regional Climate Strategies: Profiles localized adaptation efforts, from drought-resistant farming to coastal erosion management.

Achievements

• 2023 Climate Media Award winner for bushfire recovery economics series
• Regular commentator on ABC’s National Wrap for parliamentary climate debates

Pitching Preferences

Kelly seeks stories with:

• Policy documents or regulatory filings as primary sources
• Data-driven projections (5-10 year impact horizons)
• Case studies featuring government-industry partnerships

Laura Chung is Agence France-Presse's leading voice on climate displacement and post-colonial environmental policy. Based in Sydney but reporting across Pacific Island nations, her work bridges investigative rigor with geopolitical analysis.

Key Coverage Areas

• Climate Migration Logistics: Examines practical challenges of relocating communities, from infrastructure costs to cultural preservation
• Historical Climate Debt: Traces how colonial-era policies exacerbate modern vulnerabilities to rising seas
• Diplomatic Negotiations: Provides insider access to regional forums like the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network

Achievement Highlights

• Pioneered AFP's first dedicated climate displacement beat in 2023
• Regular contributor to UNEP's Pacific policy roundtables
• 2024 Climate Journalism Network's "Wire Service Excellence" recognition

Pitching Preferences

• Preferred Sources: Policy drafters, civil engineers specializing in climate-resilient construction, indigenous land management experts
• Story Durations: Seeks 6-12 month reporting timelines for complex investigations
• Data Requirements: Requires access to unredacted climate adaptation budgets and infrastructure blueprints

Michael Bachelard is a Pulitzer Center-supported investigative journalist and foreign editor at The Age, specializing in climate policy, geopolitical conflicts, and human rights. With a career spanning 30+ years, his work has redefined environmental accountability reporting in Australia and exposed transnational extremism networks.

Pitching Focus Areas

• Climate Governance: Stories debunking corporate greenwashing or analyzing legislative failures.
• Conflict Zones: Investigative leads from Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
• Data Journalism: Cross-border collaborations requiring forensic analysis.

“Journalism’s role isn’t just to inform—it’s to hold power accountable, whether in boardrooms or war zones.” — Michael Bachelard, 2023

Awards Snapshot

• 2017 Gold Walkley for Surviving IS
• 2024 President, Melbourne Press Club
• Multiple Quill Awards for Investigative Reporting

As RenewEconomy’s lead climate policy journalist, Mazengarb specializes in:

• Political Energy Analysis: Tracking how legislation and lobbying shape Australia’s climate trajectory
• Renewable Implementation: Investigating gaps between policy promises and project realities
• Global-Local Dynamics: Contextualizing Australian energy decisions within international markets

Pitching Priorities

• Policy Mechanics: How specific regulations enable/block clean energy projects
• Financial Flows: Fossil fuel subsidies, political donations, green investment trends
• Community Impacts: Regional transitions, Indigenous energy projects, consumer costs

Recent Recognition:

• 2024 Energy Press Club Journalist of the Year finalist
• Cited in 3 parliamentary inquiries on climate policy

Peter Brewer is a journalist at The Canberra Times, where he combines investigative depth with a focus on climate, environment, and energy policy. His work bridges hyperlocal reporting and national debates, often highlighting how community-driven initiatives address broader environmental challenges.

Current Focus Areas

• Climate Policy: Analyzes municipal and federal strategies for emissions reduction, with an emphasis on equity and implementation gaps.
• Renewable Energy: Covers solar/wind adoption trends, grid modernization, and workforce development in clean tech.
• Environmental Accountability: Investigates corporate greenwashing and regulatory enforcement failures.

Pitching Recommendations

• Local Solutions, Global Frameworks: Brewer seeks stories that connect Canberra’s climate efforts to international benchmarks, such as COP commitments.
• Data Transparency: Share non-proprietary datasets on air quality or energy use to strengthen investigative angles.

“His reporting marries urgency with pragmatism—a rare balance in climate journalism.” — Industry Colleague

Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick stands at the forefront of climate science communication, specializing in extreme heat events and their societal impacts. Based at the Australian National University’s Fenner School of Environment and Society, her work bridges academic research and public policy through:

• Heatwave Attribution: Developed the Perkins-Kirkpatrick Heat Index (PKHI) used by 23 national meteorological agencies
• Community Resilience: Created early warning systems adopted by 14 local governments across New South Wales
• Science Communication: Produced the Climate Literacy Toolkit downloaded 150,000+ times globally

Pitching Priorities

• Seeking: Hyperlocal climate projections, health impact studies, Indigenous cooling strategies
• Avoiding: Carbon credit markets, renewable energy policy debates, international climate treaties

"Every heatwave tells a story – our job is to translate the data into actions that save lives and protect ecosystems."

With 15 years’ experience and 180+ peer-reviewed publications, Perkins-Kirkpatrick brings unique authority to climate storytelling. Her recent ARC Future Fellowship focuses on developing heat-resistant urban infrastructure models for 2050 climate scenarios.