"Reporting on sustainability was my way of trying to do something about the crisis." Twitter Q&A with Senior Sustainability Reporter, Catherine Boudreau

To help our readers get to know the people that power our newsroom, we host live Twitter conversations called #TheInsideStory on our @InsiderInc account with reporters and editors from our Business, Life, and News sections.

We recently caught up with Senior Sustainability Reporter, Catherine Boudreau to learn more about her passion for sustainability, primary areas of focus, and get insight into what’s happening in this sphere. Be sure to follow Catherine on Twitter and check out her page on Insider for the latest updates.

Catherine, thanks so much for joining us today! We know there’s a lot to talk about regarding sustainability, but can you first tell us more about your role here at @thisisinsider? @ceboudreau #TheInsideStory

Thanks for inviting me! I joined @thisisinsider in May 2022. #Sustainability is such a broad topic, but my reporting so far includes profiling leading executives, activists, politicians & scientists, the climate tech that's disrupting industries & scrutinizing corporate pledges.

We're excited to learn more about you and your work! Can you talk about your journey prior to joining @thisisinsider?

I wanted to be a journalist from an early age. I loved asking people about their life and teachers told me I had a knack for writing, so I thought, "Is this something I could get paid for?" Turns out, yes!

I studied at @QUJournalism & got internships at my local paper in Burlington, Vt. @bfp_news & @wnpr in Hartford, Conn. I worked on my college paper @QUChronicle. Toward graduation, my college roommate connected me to her aunt who worked at BloombergBNA (now @BBGIndustry).

She helped me land my first job, so I packed up and moved to Washington, DC not knowing a soul. Since then, I've covered food & agriculture policy for @politico, where I also helped launch a sustainability newsletter, The Long Game. That experience led me to @thisisinsider.

Taking big leaps isn't easy, but worth it! Thank you for sharing. As you mentioned, #sustainability encompasses a breadth of topics. How did you discover your passion for covering this subject?

I started covering food & ag in part b/c it's a genuine interest of mine. I'm curious where my food comes from, who grows it & the complexities of getting it to our plates. Food is personal, political & cuts across so many topics, from health to trade to immigration to nature.

The food system's impact on the environment is how I initially became interested in sustainability. There's a huge tension there. We all need to eat & the population is growing. How do we meet that demand w/o destroying the Earth & ensure farms still have a viable business?

And also, as a young(er) person on the planet who wants to have a family, the climate crisis makes me think twice about that. So I think reporting on sustainability was my way of trying to do something about the crisis.

It's great to better understand what fuels your curiosity and dedication to combat these issues. Referring to our audience, what are readers most curious about when it comes to #sustainability?

In my experience so far, readers seem interested in climate solutions & the technology behind them, who the leaders are in this space, & what actions they can take to lower their own climate impacts. We're still learning, though & I always welcome feedback from readers!

Covering sustainability has been and continues to be a priority for Insider. We're excited about the recent launch of “One Planet," which you're a big part of! Can you tell us what “One Planet” is all about?

Yes, One Planet is a really exciting initiative that reporters across the newsroom will contribute to! That's key, because there's a climate angle in every beat, whether it's tech, healthcare, finance, science, transportation, real estate or fashion.

One Planet is Insider's new hub for all things climate news, analysis, & progress. The tagline is, “The optimist's destination for global climate action.” We want to showcase how companies, countries, & regular people are taking action and making an impact.

We’ll be exploring green tech disrupting industries like fossil fuels, agriculture and construction, doing deeper analyses on the status of the green transition, and profiling women climate leaders. So anyone reading this should send me your recommendations! My DMs are open.

Shout out to the super talented @lilykatzman, special project editor, who’s leading One Planet.

Insider’s new sustainability initiative, One Planet

We’ll be sure to continue checking the new hub and share updates! Overall, can you share some of your greatest accomplishments from your time so far at @thisisinsider?

In September we launched an inaugural Climate Action 30 list featuring prominent activists, scientists, entrepreneurs & business execs.

This was an inspiring project, not only b/c of the honorees. We had a dream team working on it: @lilykatzman, @TimSParadis, future of biz editor & @julia_hood, head of special projects. Designers @superkazi & Alyssa Powell/Photo team @hollis_photo & Crystal Cox were instrumental.

Insider recognizes the top 30 global leaders achieving climate solutions

I also traveled to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt for the UN climate summit #COP27 in November. This was my 1st time covering the meeting & 1st international reporting trip! I’m really proud of the work I did there, which I can share more about.

We'd love to take you up on that offer! What was the experience like and what were some of the key learnings from @COP27P?

Other than bring lots of snacks? Seriously, that's a survival tip for COP. Aside from that, I learned a lot about the state of global climate action. In short, countries and companies are way off track in reducing planet-warming pollution.

That said, I spoke to so many people at #COP27 from around the world who gave me hope. An indigenous leader from Brazil, Dinamam Tuxá, was optimistic that the election of @LulaOficial will rein in deforestation that threatens his people & their land.

'Brazil is back!': How a change in political leadership could help save the Amazon — and the world

Climate activists from countries like Uganda, Tanzania & Mozambique are pressuring their governments to reject gas projects & adopt renewable energy.

This is a tricky issue, b/c African officials argue they should be able to economically develop - just as rich nations did - on fossil fuels. The entire African continent emits just 3% of global greenhouse gases. The rest are mostly from the US, Europe & more recently China.

The macro-socioeconomic conditions have changed quite a bit year over year. Can you provide insight into what we can anticipate at #COP28?

#COP28 is hosted by the United Arab Emirates this year in Dubai, which recently announced their leadership team. The COP president is the head of UAE's state oil company, Sultan Al Jaber, which sparked backlash from climate activists who said this is a conflict of interest.

The UAE and some global climate officials have defended the pick, including US @climateenvoy John Kerry. They note that Al Jaber is also chairman of Masdar, a state renewable energy company, and UAE has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Al Jaber’s appointment reflects a broader tension to keep an eye on at #COP28: Will countries agree to phase down oil and natural gas when the host, UAE, plans to keep investing in those fossil fuels? And if not, is it even possible to keep global warming below 1.5C?

As #COP28 approaches, we’ll check the latest reporting from you and the team for updates. Before we wrap up, we hear that you’re an “aspirational plant mom.” What’s your go-to tip for those looking to add some greenery to their homes?

I should change that, because I am an *actual* plant mom now. I have at least 11 in my condo in Washington, DC now. I put them in front of windows with a lot of light, water once a week, and trim dead leaves when I see 'em.

Catherine, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed chatting with you and having the opportunity to learn more about your work. Be sure to check out @ceboudreau's page on Insider to keep up with Catherine and her reporting.