Unearthed is an environmental investigative journalism publication that is operated by the nonprofit organization Greenpeace UK.[1]
History
Unearthed was founded as Energy Desk in 2012 as an affiliate of the environmentalist organization Greenpeace.[2] In 2015, it hired an investigations unit and expanded its operations.[1][2] Journalists from the BBC, The New York Times, and other publications were recruited.[1]
Operations
As of 2021, Unearthed has a staff of nine,[2] which is supplemented by a network of freelancers.[1] All of its funding comes from Greenpeace, but it maintains editorial autonomy.[3]
Notable coverage
Unearthed has broken several stories that have received widespread coverage from mainstream news outlets.
In 2015, its journalists posed as energy company representatives and exposed academics willing to write papers supporting the fossil fuel industry in exchange for covert funding.
In 2018, it covertly recorded the director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, Mark Littlewood, offering access to UK government officials in exchange for donations. The leak led to two official investigations of the institute.[3][4]
In 2020, it used public records requests to uncover that BP successfully lobbied the Trump administration to weaken the National Environmental Policy Act.[5]
In 2021, its journalists posed as job recruiters and tricked an ExxonMobil lobbyist into revealing details of the company's efforts to oppose the Biden administration's climate agenda.[6]
Reception
Unearthed has been praised for the stories it has broken. Some observers have noted the potential ethical concerns of blurring activism and reporting, and of conducting undercover operations that involve deceiving sources.[6][7][8][9]
References
- ^ a b c d Jackson, Jasper (9 September 2015). "Greenpeace hires team of investigative journalists". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ a b c "About". Unearthed. Greenpeace. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ a b Mayhew, Freddy (8 August 2018). "Editor of Greenpeace-funded investigations unit behind IEA think tank sting says stories are not signed off by charity". Press Gazette. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Booth, Robert; Syal, Rajeev (30 July 2018). "Thinktank faces double investigation after 'cash for access' claims". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Chapman, Ben (23 January 2020). "Trump watered down environmental laws after BP lobbying, letters reveal". The Independent. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ a b Grandoni, Dino (2 July 2021). "An Exxon lobbyist thought he was in a job interview. Instead, it was a secretly recorded Zoom call". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Ingram, Mathew (15 June 2018). "Advocates are becoming journalists. Is that a good thing?". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Powers, Matthew (16 December 2015). "Does it matter that Greenpeace journalists lied in order to expose academics-for-hire?". The Conversation. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Powers, Matthew (16 September 2015). "When Greenpeace hires journalists, it's a double-edged sword". The Conversation. Retrieved 4 July 2021.