Fellowship for Journalists to Cover the UN Biodiversity Conference (Colombia)
Deadline Date: July 06, 2024
Donor Name: Earth Journalism Network (EJN)
Grant Size: Not Available
Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is pleased to announce a new fellowship for journalists interested in attending—and reporting from—the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in October and November 2024.
In 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, a watershed international treaty was established: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). As the first ever global agreement on biodiversity, it implements protocols which help countries govern in line with its three objectives—the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable distribution of benefits arising from the utilization of biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge.
The fellowship will strengthen and deepen journalists’ reporting on biodiversity issues and draw attention to the widespread, catastrophic and often underreported impacts of biodiversity depletion.
Fellowship Logistics
- Fellows will travel to Cali to attend the entire duration of the UN biodiversity negotiations, which will take place from October 21, 2024 to November 1, 2024, with arrival planned for October 19, 2024, and departure on November 2, 2024.
- EJN will cover non-refundable economy-class airfare, accommodation, meals, travel medical insurance and ground transportation costs related to fellowship participation. Organizers will also facilitate the press accreditation process and provide logistical support relating to the trip. Please note that the process of obtaining any necessary visas is the fellow’s individual responsibility, though EJN will reimburse visa costs.
- A minimum of five journalists will be selected for the in-person fellowship; arrangements for a larger cohort may be made in the coming months. Prior to the start of COP16, fellows will receive informational resources and technical support to help prepare for reporting at the conference, including a pre-COP virtual workshop to meet the team, discuss reporting opportunities, and ask any questions to support your pre-reporting and preparatory work.
- While in Cali, fellows will participate in a series of specially designed activities, including an orientation session with biodiversity experts on the key issues at this COP, daily briefings and interviews with high-level officials. They will also be mentored by EJN trainers, who are senior journalists with experience in covering UN summits. Trainers will offer valuable insight into the deliberations happening on the ground, and share feedback and guidance as needed to support fellows’ story production. Fellows will also engage with their cohort and exchange ideas for effective reporting.
- Journalists awarded fellowships are responsible for their own safety during travel, and for ensuring that they meet all requirements for travel and attendance.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible for the fellowship, the applicant must:
- Be a professional journalist from or representing an established media house and reporting from a low- or middle-income country as classified by.
- Have previous experience reporting on biodiversity issues and clearly indicate the kinds of stories you might pursue while covering the conference.
- Be available and willing to travel to Cali to attend COP16 in person, arriving on October 19 and departing no earlier than November 2, 2024.
- Have a good command of the English language.
- Share an up-to-date resume/CV.
- 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.
- 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.
Judging Criteria
- Applications for conference scholarships will be accepted until July 6, 2024. Decisions will be communicated before the end of October.
- They are looking for applicants who meet the following criteria:
- Demonstrated experience covering climate change, climate policy and other environmental topics;
- A clear and well-researched reporting plan for the COP, including potential story ideas, an estimated number of stories they’ll produce during the fellowship and demonstrated intention to continue developing their plan as the COP draws closer;
- A relationship with an established media house and a signed letter of support from an editor agreeing to publish or broadcast work produced at the COP.
For more information, visit EJN.
