Elisabetta Zavoli is an Italian documentary photographer who believes in a solution journalism approach to showcase the power of local stories to inspire a global audience. In 2009, her love for the natural world led her to environmental journalism, reporting on the effects of climate change on coastal communities, how Global North markets drive deforestation in emerging economies, mercury pollution, and waste mismanagement. From 2012 until 2018, Zavoli was based in Indonesia, where she focused extensively on ocean issues. Her empathy, respect and openness to understand other points of view help her connect and work with diverse communities. Over her 15-year visual storytelling career, Zavoli produced and accomplished significant and widely disseminated environmental photo projects that contributed to increased global awareness and positively impacted local communities. She is a recipient of several grants, including those from the National Geographic Society, the European Journalism Centre and Earth Journalism Network. She has been a National Geographic Explorer since 2022. She earned her MSc in Environmental Sciences from the University of Bologna.

Photo by Elisabetta Zavoli