Virtual Reporting Fellowships to the UNCBD (COP16) and UNFCCC (COP29)

The end of 2024 will see two major UN conferences taking place, gathering key stakeholders and decision-makers from around the globe. As biodiversity decline and the climate emergency cause ecological, social and financial upheaval, covering UNCBD COP16 and UNFCCC COP29 negotiations and outcomes will be crucial.

The UNCBD COP16 conference takes place in Cali, Colombia from 21 October–1 November 2024. It will see key players examine progress made toward the safeguarding and restoration of biological diversity. COP16 will focus on supporting countries so that their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) align with the Biodiversity Plan, mobilizing and bolstering the means of implementation – primarily funding – and finding a way to govern access and benefit-sharing (ABS), particularly to Digital Sequence Information and genetic material.

The UNFCCC COP29 will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11–22 November 2024. It will be a key gathering to advance the goals of the Paris Agreement and make progress on Parties’ mitigation and adaptation targets. The priorities of this COP include both upscaling national efforts to reduce carbon emissions through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and negotiating a new climate finance goal, replacing the existing commitment of $100 billion annually until 2025. Success at COP29 hinges on establishing a new goal that is based on the needs of and addresses the previous goal’s shortcomings.

To build journalists knowledge of climate and biodiversity policy and improve their capacity to report on these important conferences, EJN is offering two virtual fellowship opportunities for early-career environmental journalists, or reporters who would like to improve their understanding of the UNFCCC and UNCBD negotiations process and related issues, to enable them to cover these conferences remotely for their outlets.

Logistics 

• As part of EJN’s CBD Fellowship, they intend to award eight journalists — four journalists from Africa and four journalists from Latin America — with virtual fellowships to cover the UNCBD COP16.
• As part of EJN’s longstanding Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP), organized in partnership with the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, they intend to award 10 journalists — five journalists from South Asia and five journalists from Europe and Eurasia — with virtual fellowships to cover the UNFCCC COP29 remotely.
• For both conferences, selected virtual fellows will receive training, mentorship and other support to facilitate remote reporting on these important events. Fellows will have the opportunity to engage with their cohort and share knowledge and ideas for effective reporting, as well as partake in sessions with in-person Fellows. They will benefit from a series of specially designed activities, including an orientation workshop, daily briefings, mentoring, and assistance. Veteran regional journalists will provide valuable insight into the proceedings from on the ground in Baku and Cali, as well as tools, resources, editing and guidance as needed to support fellows to produce in-depth coverage of the negotiations and their outcomes.
• All fellows will also receive a communications stipend of $100 to ensure that they have consistent access to the virtual activities of the fellowship.

Eligibility Criteria 

• To be eligible for the CBD Virtual Fellowship to cover UNCBD COP16 remotely, applicants must:
  • Be a professional journalist from or representing an established media house and reporting from either of the two eligible regions: Africa or Latin America;
  • Commit to participate in all fellowship activities (up to 20 hours in total across the fellowship period), including:
    • Four weekly 60-90 minute virtual training sessions in the month leading up to the COP
    • 1-2-1 sessions with your mentor as needed
    • Daily 30–60-minute virtual briefings from the COP between 21 October – 1 November 2024
  • Have previous experience reporting on biodiversity and environmental issues, and can clearly indicate the kinds of stories they would like to pursue during the conference;
  • Provide a letter of support from an editor, producer or supervisor who can confirm that your news reports will be published or broadcast in an established media outlet. Freelancers are welcome to apply but must provide a letter of support from a media outlet for which they intend to report; and
  • Provide recent, relevant and journalistic work samples on biodiversity topics, which can be uploaded as documents or web links. Stories can be in any language as long as they are accompanied by a short English synopsis. Clips must focus on biodiversity topics and should have been published in the last 12 months.
• To be eligible for the CCMP Virtual Fellowship to cover UNFCCC COP29 remotely, applicants must:
  • Be a professional journalist from or representing an established media house and reporting from either of the two eligible regions: South Asia or Europe and Eurasia;
  • Commit to participate in all fellowship activities (up to 20 hours in total across the fellowship period), including:
    • Four weekly 60-90 minute virtual training sessions in the month leading up to the COP
    • 1-2-1 sessions with your mentor as needed
    • Daily 30-60 minute virtual briefings from the COP between 11 – 22 November
  • Have previous experience reporting on climate change and environmental issues, and can clearly indicate the kinds of stories they would like to pursue during the conference;
  • Provide a letter of support from an editor, producer or supervisor who can confirm that your news reports will be published or broadcast in an established media outlet. Freelancers are welcome to apply, but must provide a letter of support from a media outlet for which they intend to report; and
  • Provide recent, relevant and journalistic work samples on climate change topics, which can be uploaded as documents or web links. Stories can be in any language as long as they are accompanied by a short English synopsis. Clips must focus on climate change topics and should have been published in the last 12 months.
• For both UNCBD COP16 and UNFCCC COP29:
  • Commit to spend 4-6 hours independently crafting each of your stories from the conference;
  • Have sufficient internet access, internet speed and local broadband capacity to allow them to attend all virtual sessions on Zoom (1.0-1.5 mbps), or can secure good internet access with use of the stipend to be provided; be able to complete an Internet speed test;
  • Have a good command of the English language;
  • Share an up-to-date resume/CV

For more information, visit EJN.