Lucifer's Spell

2022-06-16

SARDINIA - EVIA - The Mediterranean basin is a hotspot of the climate crisis, with average temperatures rising above global trends. Heat waves, droughts and a combination of anthropogenic factors are provoking new generations of wildfires that are devastating for ecosystems and for human societies.

Summer 2021’s wildfires were particularly devastating in Southern Europe, and many studies are urging for mitigation measures. A cross-border investigation dug into the close relation between rural abandonment and uncontrolled wildering of woodlands/agricultural areas and climate change, as common causes of mega-fires in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain. The investigation attempts to go beyond common headlines and reveal a change of paradigm needed to mitigate the unfolding climatic scenarios, in particular in areas already marginalized and economically fragile. The result of the investigation shows very similar patterns across the cases and gathers the human stories of those who survived the last season of wildfires, their fears and their perspectives for the future.

Team members

Gian-Paolo Accardo

Gian-Paolo Accardo is an Italian-Dutch journalist based in Brussels and Paris.

Elvira Krithari

Elvira Krithari is a Greek journalist working at ERT- Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation.

Janine Louloudi

Janine is a Greek journalist and producer.

María Álvarez del Vayo González

María is a journalist working at CIVIO, Spain, specialising in research, data and visualisation.

Chloé Emmanouilidis

Chloe is a freelance journalist working for AFP based in Nicosia Cyprus.

Marcello Rossi

Marcello Rossi is a freelance journalist based in Italy.

Davide Mancini

Davide Mancini is an Italian freelance multimedia journalist focusing on environmental issues.

Media

Voxeurop SCE

Voxeurop is a community of journalists, editors, translators, media partners, loyal readers and members from over 30 countries.

Civio

Fundación Ciudadana Civio is the first organisation in Spain to specialise in monitoring public authorities.

MIIR

The Mediterranean Institute for Investigative Reporting (MIIR) is a non profit organisation that was founded in January 2019 with the aim to enhance the genre of journalism that holds those on power accountable and defends public good.

Mentor

Staffan Dahllöf

Staffan Dahllöf is a freelance reporter based in Copenhagen, specialised in FOI.

Supported

€16.220 allocated on 13/12/2021

ENV1/2021/006

Grant

Environmental Journalism

need resources for your own investigative story?

Journalismfund Europe's flexible grants programmes enable journalists to produce relevant public interest stories with a European mind-set from international, national, and regional perspectives.

Apply