Apply for the EJN Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowships

Applications are open for the EJN COP30 Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowships. The Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP), spearheaded by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, is delighted to announce the COP30 CCMP Reporting Fellowship Program aimed at journalists keen on covering the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30). This year, the conference will be hosted in Brazil, specifically in the city of Belém, from November 10-21, 2025, with the World Leaders’ Summit occurring on November 6-7.

This year, the COP organizers are expecting logistical difficulties and a possible shortage of accommodations for attendees, as the annual climate summit is being held for the first time in a relatively small city located in the Amazon rainforest.

In light of the uncertainties regarding accommodation, the COP30 CCMP Reporting Fellowship will welcome applications from journalists hailing from low- and middle-income countries to report in person during COP30, with the specific dates and the number of selected fellows to be confirmed by September. Certain aspects of the CCMP fellowship program may be modified to align with the realities on the ground. Journalists interested in this opportunity should be prepared for the possibility of shared housing and/or attending in person for only a portion of the two-week summit.

Furthermore, this year the fellowship program will also support a minimum of four CCMP virtual fellows from the Pacific Islands* to report on COP30 remotely, receiving daily support and guidance from a media trainer based in Belém, Brazil.

Applications for the COP30 CCMP Reporting Fellowship will be accepted from June 16 to July 15, 2025. Decisions will be announced in early September. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered, so it is advisable to submit at least one day prior to the deadline to prevent any complications.

Fellowship logistics – EJN Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowships

In-person CCMP Fellows will travel to Belém to attend the UN climate negotiations in November 2025, with specific arrival and departure dates to be determined. Fellowship support includes:

• Operational and logistical support
• Accommodation
• Financial Support
• Reporting resources and editorial support
• Opportunities for Interviews
• Opportunities for networking

CCMP virtual fellows will cover the COP remotely from their home countries and will participate in program activities primarily on Zoom. Fellowship support includes:

• Financial support
• Reporting resources and editorial support
• Opportunities for interviews

Eligibility – EJN Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowships

• To qualify for the fellowship, applicants must:
• Be a professional journalist affiliated with an established media organization and reporting from a low- or middle-income country listed below.*
• Not have previously attended a COP, whether self-funded or as part of a fellowship.
• Those applying for the in-person fellowship must be available and willing to travel to Belém to attend COP30 in person.
• Possess a strong command of the English language.
• Have prior experience in reporting on climate change issues and clearly outline the types of stories you intend to pursue during the conference.
• Commit to participating in all fellowship activities.
• Submit an up-to-date resume/CV.
• Provide a video, no longer than 2 minutes, explaining what you will report on at COP30.
• Include a letter of support from an editor, producer, or supervisor who can verify that your news reports will be published or broadcast by an established media outlet. Freelancers are encouraged to apply but must submit a signed letter of support from a media outlet for which they plan to report, committing to publish the stories they create as part of this fellowship. Applicants should carefully evaluate their chosen outlet’s reach, article format, audience, and publication schedule to ensure it aligns with the demanding and fast-paced nature of reporting from COP30.
• Provide recent, relevant journalistic work samples on climate change topics published between 15 July 2024 and 15 July 2025, which can be submitted as documents or web links. Stories should focus on specific climate change topics pertinent to the applicant’s country—broad or general stories will be less competitive. Stories may be in any language, provided they are accompanied by a brief English synopsis.
• Journalists applying for the in-person fellowship must be reporting from a country in this list of eligible countries. These countries were chosen because they are low- and middle-income countries as defined by the World Bank. Some countries were excluded due to security concerns.
• Journalists applying for the virtual fellowship must report from these Pacific countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna. Journalists originally from the Pacific Islands now living in New Zealand or Australia are eligible to apply, as long as they are reporting for media outlets whose audiences are in the Pacific Islands.
• For the purposes of this opportunity, we will only be accepting applications in English. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to consider applications in other languages at this time. Applicants must be able to participate fully in an English-language Fellowship to be awarded.
• For this opportunity, we will only accept applications submitted in English. Regrettably, we currently lack the capacity to review applications in other languages. Applicants must be capable of fully participating in an English-language Fellowship to be eligible for an award.
• Applications are welcomed from journalists across all mediums (online, print, television, radio). We particularly encourage submissions from freelance reporters and staff members of various media organizations—whether international, national, local, or community-based.
• Journalists who have previously attended climate COPs, regardless of whether they received support from EJN, are not eligible for this opportunity.
• The CCMP retains the right to disqualify applicants if they are found to have engaged in unethical or improper professional conduct, which includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism and the submission of AI-generated content as their own.

Judging criteria – EJN Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowships

• We seek applicants who:
• Have demonstrated experience in covering climate change, climate policy, and other environmental issues;
  Have recently reported on climate change and can provide two work samples focused on climate change themes that were published within the last year;
• Have crafted a clear and well-researched reporting plan for the COP, including potential story ideas. It is advisable to review previous COP programmes and agendas to ensure that your reporting plan is as specific and detailed as possible;
• Are able to estimate the number of stories they will produce during the Fellowship;
• Have a relationship with a recognized media house and a signed letter of support from an editor who agrees to publish or broadcast the work produced at the COP.
• The CCMP also takes into account the importance of assembling a diverse cohort of journalists from various types of media houses, mediums, and geographical locations.

Application Process – EJN Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowships

• To initiate your application, please click the ‘Apply now’ button located at the top of this page.
• If you already possess an account, you will need to log in. Conversely, if you do not have an account, you must register by selecting “Log in” at the top right corner of the page, followed by the “Sign up” link at the bottom of the subsequent page. For comprehensive guidance on creating an account, please click here, and for detailed instructions on resetting your password, click here.
• Should you begin the application process and wish to return to complete it later, you may select ‘Save Draft.’ To access your draft, you will need to revisit the opportunity and click ‘Apply now’ once more to finalize your application.
• This year’s CCMP Fellowship is organized and executed by the Earth Journalism Network (EJN) in collaboration with the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, with generous support provided to EJN by Sida, the Smart Family Foundation, and the Friends Foundation. Additional funding sources may be confirmed at a later date.
• Applications submitted after the deadline will not be taken into consideration. We recommend submitting your application at least one day prior to the deadline to prevent any complications.
• If you experience any difficulties while submitting your application or have inquiries regarding the grants, please reach out via email to [email protected]. Please refrain from contacting any other Internews email concerning this opportunity, as we will not receive those communications.
• For more details and to apply visit the programme website
• Application Deadline July 15, 2025