Bristol24/7’s Climate & Sustainability Editor – the story so far

The climate emergency requires immediate action on multiple levels but it’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problem we are facing.

In 2021, Bristol24/7 announced the ambition to employ a Climate & Sustainability Editor in order to focus attention on such an important issue and also to help people in the city feel empowered to make a difference.

With the support of our members and ring-fenced funding from NatWest, we were able to achieve this goal and employed Valentina Hernández Gómez in July this year.

We believe we are the first local media organisation to employ a dedicated Climate & Sustainability Editor and hope to inspire others to put climate at the top of the agenda.

Valentina has sought to shine a light on some of the most important issues facing the city and showcase projects and people who are making a difference in the city, while also providing practical information on how individuals can take action themselves – no matter how small.

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As Climate & Sustainability Editor, Valentina goes beyond reporting and takes time to take a critical look at environmental issues – from writing opinion articles to hosting podcasts, being a keynote speaker at Bristol24/7’s members’ meeting and being invited on to citywide panel discussions.

Here are just some of the articles that Valentina has covered in her time as Bristol24/7’s Climate & Sustainability Editor:

• ‘How can we reach net zero when our public transport system is in shambles?’
• Tackling the big questions climate change poses
• What you need to know about Bristol’s Clean Air Zone charges 
• ‘For most of my life I felt powerless living in a country so blessed yet so forgotten’

Valentina has shone a light on community project making a difference at a grassroots level – photo: Matt Larsen-Daw

Speaking about the role, Valentina said: “I feel honoured to carry this responsibility. I’ve truly enjoyed my role as Climate & Sustainability Editor in a city like Bristol, with so much to do in the environmental field but still with a long way to go.

“Grassroot organisations and community initiatives are continuously pushing for change and if things keep going this way, the future is definitely looking hopeful.”

Bristol24/7 is putting climate at the top of the agenda  – photo: Rob Browne

None of this work would be possible without the support of our members and sponsor.

Bristol24/7’s Community & Partnerships Manager Meg Houghton Gilmour explains that by creating the role, we are able to support and amplify the voices of almost every climate campaigner and environmental group in Bristol.

Meg said: “Our members were some of the first people to tell us that they wanted a greater focus on the climate in our coverage. We are incredibly grateful that our community of members, along with support from NatWest, has made this possible. Anyone can become a part of our community and you can find out more about joining here.

“What I appreciate about Valentina’s role is that it provides us with an opportunity to put a local lens on global issues. We can see how problems that seem too big, and occasionally distant, are impacting us on a local level, and – perhaps more importantly – what we can do about them.

“As a media organisation, albeit a small one, we have a lot of power. We have a big local audience and a lot of people look to us to inform them, provide them with news, entertainment and ideas, and to hold local government to account.”

NatWest provided funding for the role for six months. Matt Hatcher, NatWest South West board, said: “The impact of Bristol24/7’s Climate & Sustainability Editor appointment has been both instant and huge.

“The stories that Valentina has led in the role have shone a new spotlight on the climate and sustainability issues affecting the region and, just as importantly, the disrupters and entrepreneurs who are pioneering ways to challenge them.

“Climate is a massive priority for us as a bank and we want to support more businesses and people make a change today for a greener tomorrow. That is why we felt it was so important to support Bristol24/7’s ambition to appoint a climate and sustainability editor; a role which is supporting the city’s ambition to drive positive change.”

Bristol24/7 is now seeking funding to cover the role of Climate & Sustainability Editor in 2023. If you’d like to get in contact about funding the role, please email partnerships@bristol247.com.

Main photo: Eunice Gomez Manrique

Read next:

• Is walking a neglected form of transport in Bristol?
• ‘Bristol can’t be truly sustainable while persistent social inequalities exist’
• The Bristol company transforming ocean plastics into clothing and goods

Listen to the latest Bristol24.7 Behind the Headlines podcast: