We are in the midst of a climate and ecological emergency. Our futures, and those of our children, grow bleaker every day. War, disease and famine lie ahead on a scale that humans have never suffered before. And while we will all be affected in significant ways, we know the devastation will be — and already is — distributed unequally.

The free press has a moral obligation to Tell the Truth to the public. By not giving the climate and ecological crisis the coverage it deserves, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Daily News are failing to inform people about an existential threat that risks the collapse of society.

The unfolding COVID-19 pandemic proves that The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Daily News can cover a crisis with urgent, clear reporting. The climate and ecological emergency is the most pressing story of this century. Its impacts will dwarf those of the suffering caused by the pandemic. We urge you to make the crisis headline news every day. And like the Inquirer’s COVID reporting, reporting on the climate crisis should be made available to all readers for free.

We also want you to understand that the crisis impacts every single beat. It is impossible to honestly and responsibly cover regional and national politics, poverty, immigration, economics, natural disasters, weather, business and real estate without placing those issues in the context of the climate and ecological emergency. The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Daily News can, and must, become a leader in covering the crisis. To prevent planetary collapse, we need bold, fearless coverage of this emergency. History will note what we did not say.

I am writing to ask that you tell the truth about the climate and ecological crisis by covering the most seminal story in human history with the urgency it demands. Here are some resources that can help:

https://extinctionrebellion.uk/the-truth/the-emergency/

https://xrphilly.org/Extinction/