Connecting the dots between data, geography, and storytelling: what is geojournalism
Written by Benedetta Tonnini, Dataninja
“Geojournalism is the practice of blending data, geography, and storytelling to reveal the hidden layers of our changing world”
Sometimes labels are just “fancy ways of classifying knowledge”; other times, definitions serve as good starting points for introductions.
With that in mind: Hello world, and welcome to the GEOJO project - a place where we try to connect the dots between science, communication, and education.
Environmental reporting today faces not a data “drought”, but rather a data “flood”. While journalists cannot claim a scarcity of environmental information— for example the Environmental Data sources compiled by the Global Investigative Journalism Network, or this list of over 500 sites of geographic datasets — the real challenge lies in making sense of this abundance.
The idea behind GEOJO is that reporting on climate change and environmental topics requires a mix of scientific knowledge, some technical skills and the ability to communicate complex information effectively.
Geojournalism, being a field at the intersection of environmental and data journalism, can offer a valuable approach in order to convey critical information about climate change and environmental challenges.
Geojournalism, in theory
Unlike traditional journalism, geojournalism places geographical context at its core.
The geography isn't just where the story happens: ecosystems become the “main character” and this well deserved centrality it's fundamental to understanding the story itself, as explained in this interview to Gustavo Faleiros, the Director of Environmental Investigations for the Pulitzer Center.
Geojournalism thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration, these projects typically (or should we say ideally?) should bring together journalists who provide narrative expertise and investigative skills, data scientists who analyze complex datasets, geographers who contribute spatial analysis techniques, designers who create visualizations, and developers who build interactive platforms.
The reader experience is often interactive and exploratory, inviting to actively engage with the content—zooming in on areas of interest, toggling between data layers, adjusting time scales, or filtering information. This agency transforms the relationship between audience and content, allowing for personalized discovery and deeper connection.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the geojournalism approach is the potential of creating living resources rather than finite stories. Many Geo- (and data!) journalism projects establish platforms that can potentially continue to incorporate new data as it becomes available. A story mapping deforestation, for example, would not conclude with publication but rather become an ongoing monitoring system!
Geojournalism, in practice
It’s time to see these ideas in action, right? Let’s explore some interesting geojournalism projects that show the field's potential!
Starting from the Earth Journalism Network is a must: funded in 2004, it is a worldwide community of journalists and news organizations spanning nearly every corner of the globe, from the Amazon to the Mekong, passing through the Nile region.
Until the last drop, for example, is a six-part series investigation coordinated by InfoAmazonia in collaboration with media outlets from Amazonian countries—GK in Ecuador, Ojo Público in Peru, and Rutas del Conflicto in Colombia. It investigates how the expansion of oil activities is transforming ecosystems, affecting Indigenous populations, and altering political and economic dynamics on a transnational scale.
If you take your time to explore it, you will be engaged in an interactive reading experience, with data visualization and maps that complement the text.
Two remarkable projects from Europe are:
Glocal climate change by the European Data Journalism Network: an interactive map displaying climate warming in Europe, municipality by municipality. The main findings are in this article, but if you are feeling lazy, tl;dr: mean temperatures have increased by more than 2°C in half a century in multiple areas)
Under the Surface: A collaborative investigation revealing Europe's groundwater is rapidly depleting and facing increasing pollution, using EU member states' mandatory reporting data that shows alarming trends in both water quantity and quality.
GEOJO in action: we need you!
This post offers just a glimpse into the world of geojournalism and its potential real-world applications. Now, our consortium is diving deeper into it —mapping training opportunities across Albania, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, and Portugal to develop educational resources for geospatial data storytelling.
What we value most, however, is creating a genuine community around this project that extends beyond its official timeline. (Yes, every project claims this—but we truly mean it, and believe it's worth pursuing!). So whether you're in academia, media, NGOs, or business, your experience matters!
If you want to share your experience, you can take this anonymous 10-minutes survey by clicking here and do not forget to follow us on LinkedIn to get all real time updates.
