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Washington Post Cuts Deeply Into Environmental Journalism

lite News Desk 2 min read

At a glance

  • The Washington Post laid off about one-third of its staff in February 2026
  • At least a dozen climate-focused journalists were among those let go
  • The climate team was reduced from over 30 to about five reporters

Recent staff reductions at the Washington Post have resulted in a sharp decrease in the number of journalists covering environmental topics, with climate reporting teams especially affected.

On February 4, 2026, the Washington Post carried out layoffs that impacted approximately one-third of its newsroom employees. These actions affected multiple departments, including the elimination of the sports section and reductions in books, international, and metro reporting coverage.

Among the more than 300 newsroom staff let go, at least twelve were journalists focused on climate and environmental issues. This group included writers, editors, and visual journalists who contributed to the outlet’s climate coverage.

The climate reporting team, which had previously included over 30 journalists, was reduced to about five writers and reporters following the layoffs. This marked a substantial change from 2022, when the Post had expanded its climate team as part of a broader initiative.

What the numbers show

  • Roughly 800 newsroom journalists were employed prior to the layoffs
  • More than 300 staff members, or about 30%, were laid off
  • The climate team decreased from over 30 to about five reporters

The reduction in staff also included the discontinuation of the sports section and a scaling back of books coverage. International and metro reporting teams were also affected by the cuts.

In 2022, the Washington Post had nearly tripled the size of its climate team, bringing the total to more than 30 journalists. This expansion was part of a strategy to increase the outlet’s focus on environmental reporting.

At least a dozen members of the climate team, including those responsible for writing, editing, and visual content, were among those laid off in the 2026 staff reductions. The remaining climate coverage team now consists of about five reporters.

These changes at the Washington Post serve as an example of broader reductions in environmental journalism across media organizations, with the outlet’s climate coverage experiencing a notable decrease in personnel and resources.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.

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