It emerged as a consequence of a talk she delivered for the 6th annual Ruth First Memorial Lecture in 2007, in which she looked at the impact of climate change on traditional fishers, rooibos tea farmers and maize farmers. Joubert’s 2006 publication, Scorched: South Africa’s changing climate, which examined the impact of climate change on South Africa’s natural environment, earned an Honorary 2007 Sunday Times Alan Paton Non- Fiction Award.

Joubert, a freelance science journalist, author and columnist, specialises in exploring issues of climate change, biodiversity, natural history, agriculture and energy.