by Rebecca Weinberg

As Covid-19 casts a dark shadow over the news, fourth-year UWS Journalism student Layla Maguire remains focused on the issue of climate change.

Layla, 22, entered the course with an interest in travel journalism, but her fascination with climate change began when she made contact with a lecturer at Edinburgh University.

“I didn’t expect climate change to be the main thing I wrote about, but it seems to be the thing I’m most interested in,” Layla said. “I made a contact from Edinburgh Uni who was probably the most helpful source I’ve had. Every time I did something on climate change, he would help me. So, the fact that I’ve got good sources makes it easier.”

Layla’s research into climate change has affected her own life habits as well, causing her to eat less meat and participate less in fast fashion.

“I’m not perfect; there’s still a lot of changes I could do to help things. But I feel like I have made a lot of changes since studying it.”

She feels that her best work so far is an article for a student magazine, on how electric cars will influence the environment.

Moving forward, Layla plans to create a dissertation examining how climate change is portrayed in the media, partially inspired by David Attenborough’s record-breaking move to Instagram.

Layla then hopes to create freelance work for magazines, following her graduation next year.