Geographic Data Powers Climate Change Coverage in Indonesia

By: IJNet | 02/18/2014

Frequent flooding and critically low crop yields are just two of the warning signs of climate change in Indonesia, home to the world’s third-largest tropical rainforest and some of the highest levels of biological diversity on the globe.

To shed light on these crucial issues, data journalists have launched the news site Ekuatorial, which offers the latest environmental news and engaging, easy-to-understand interactive maps of oceans, forests and natural disasters in Indonesia.

Last month, when heavy rains hit Jakarta, Ekuatorial worked with Indonesian Humanitarian OpenStreetMap, a volunteer group that assists in the collection of geographic data during and following humanitarian disasters. That group was also working with the local government disaster management organization BPBD. They quickly passed along local data to the Ekuatorial team, which used it to create a multi-layered map.

The Society of Indonesian Environmental Journalists (SIEJ) and Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) created Ekuatorial with technical assistance from ((o))EcoLab, founded by ICFJ Knight International Journalism Fellow Gustavo Faleiros. It also received financial support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Ekuatorial is powered by JEO, an open source WordPress theme and geojournalism platform created by ((o))EcoLab.

Read the complete post on IJNet.


The International Journalists' Network, IJNet, keeps professional and citizen journalists up to date on the latest media innovations, online journalism resources, training opportunities and expert advice. ICFJ produces IJNet in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. IJNet is supported by donors including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Latest News

How to Cover Global Trade Like a Pro: Tariffs Edition

Tariffs, essentially taxes on imported goods, have been at the core of cross-border trade since the days of ancient Athens and Mesopotamia. They can protect domestic industries, generate revenue, or act as political tools. For journalists, tariffs often provide a clear, tangible hook to explain the much broader and more complex web of international commerce or the realities of geopolitical machinations.

ICFJ Voices: Maran Perianen, Empowering Individuals Through Citizen Journalism

Maran Perianen is the founder and editor of Citizen’s Journal, a community news outlet focused on citizen journalism. He’s also co-founder of the Far East Documentary Centre. Perianen has extensive experience as a video journalism trainer and has worked throughout Southeast Asia. He says that his engagement with ICFJ has played a major role in his professional development. “It reinforced the idea that citizens, when equipped with the right knowledge and tools, can become powerful agents of change in their communities,” he said. Perianen is from Malaysia and is based in Kuala Lumpur.

From TV News to TikTok Views: Journalism in the Age of the Influencer

As more people get news and information from YouTube, TikTok and other social media, how do they know what standards creators bring to their work? How do they distinguish between journalists, influencers and everything in between?