While reporting of environmental issues has improved over the years, many in the media continue to treat these subjects as fodder for light entertainment articles and "odd stories". Take this one about some so-called "spider goats" who are scaling a near vertical dam wall in Italy.

The seriousness of the goats' predicament is trivialized and the story is presented as a curiosity. In the article, the goats are described as "plucky", which is a bit of anthropomorphism that I find quite offensive. (And I'm sure the goats would too, were they to find out about it!)

But the sad fact is that these so-called "spider goats" are actually behaving desperately. They are on the dam wall because they cannot find mineral sustenance anywhere else. And why is that?

Clearly, it's due to climate change.

Really, it makes me so angry that people don't think this is a problem when the signs are all around.