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 is a journalist working at ERT- Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation. She held the position of chief editor of the online magazine Solomon MAG.

Janine Louloudi

Janine is a journalist and producer with strong experience in the field of documentary and news-production, as well as online journalism.

Maria Alvarez del Vayo

María is a journalist working at CIVIO, Spain, specialising in research, data and visualisation through a master's degree from El Mundo and the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Chloe Emmanouilidis

Chloe is a freelance journalist working for AFP based in Nicosia Cyprus. She is a correspondent for several European Medias such as Voxeurop and Ereb.

Marcello Rossi

Marcello is an Italy-based freelance journalist focusing on climate change and the human impact on the environment

Davide Mancini

Davide is a freelance journalist and video-maker based in Brussels. His current focus is on environmental issues in Southern Europe and his works have been published by VoxEurop, Euronews, la Repubblica, Domani, Il Fatto Quotidiano.

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

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