Highlights from 20 EJN-Supported Media Workshops Over the Last 20 Years
Education and capacity building is a key part of EJN’s work to strengthen climate and environmental journalism globally. Over the years, we’ve led and supported hundreds of in-person and virtual workshops, training 16,200+ journalists around the world on a wide range of environmental topics and reporting techniques.
To mark our 20th anniversary this year, we looked back to select 20 highlights from workshops we’ve organized and supported our partners to run, which have deepened reporters’ environmental knowledge, advanced careers, led to the publication of hundreds of stories and fostered cross-border networking and collaboration. In some cases, they’ve also led sparked debate and led to significant impacts on the ground.
In 2007, EJN organized a biodiversity reporting field trip to Tam Dao National Park in Vietnam for a group of journalists to learn about the impacts of local infrastructure development on biodiversity. Many went on to report on a proposed ecotourism project in the park, which included plans for a casino and golf course. Their stories led to the immediate downsizing of the project from 300 hectares to 190, prompting a detailed review by the national government.
In 2014, EJN and the Mekong Partnership for the Environment organized a media workshop on infrastructure development in Northern Thailand. Over four days, 20 journalists from six Mekong countries learned how to turn Environmental Impact Assessment processes and data into compelling stories on development projects in the region. They interviewed affected community members and visited the Royal Thai Irrigation Department, as well as a national park at risk of flooding from a proposed large-scale dam. The workshop led to the formation of Mekong Matters, a cross-border network for journalists to share resources and collaborate on future stories.
In 2016, the South African Science Journalists’ Association hosted a series of environmental reporting workshops for local journalists with EJN support Their first training, held in Goudini near Cape Town, coincided with the 43rd Annual Research Symposium on the Management of Biological Invasions enabling participants to hear from leading scientists and experts about how to cover issues relating to invasive species management, the importance of quality scientific assessments in environmental reporting and more.
Also in 2016, journalists from six Central African countries gathered in the Cameroonian capital of Yaoundé for a data journalism workshop organized by EJN and the World Resources Institute. The training aimed to introduce reporters to the broad topic of data journalism—specifically “geojournalism”—to aid their coverage of the world’s second-largest rainforest, the Congo Basin. During the training, experts from the University of Maryland shared their knowledge of forest monitoring and more.
In 2017, EJN partnered with the Media Association of Vanuatu and the Vanuatu Ministry of Climate Change to host the island country’s first-ever climate journalism workshop, aimed at improving information access and community resilience to climate change in the region. Over three days, 14 Ni-Vanuatu journalists, three journalism students, and several NGO communicators became better acquainted with climate science, the importance of environmental reporting in the Pacific, and how to link climate change issues to the everyday experiences of local communities. Participants also visited Tagabe Agriculture Station to learn about climate-resilient crop development.
That same year, EJN hosted a three-day fisheries reporting workshop in Ghana, supported by the Adessium Foundation, the Ghana Journalists Association, and Journalists for Responsible Fisheries and Environment. Fifteen local journalists heard from thematic experts and learned more about the the impacts of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing on coastal communities in the region. Participants learned how to incorporate scientific data into their reporting and visited the port of Elmina to examine the economic effects of declining fish stocks on fishermen’s livelihoods. They discussed methods for identifying illegal catches, and challenges in enforcing fisheries legislation. Following the workshop, several participants applied for story grants from EJN to further investigate these issues.
In 2017, EJN, the Stanley Foundation (now the Stanley Center for Peace and Security) and Latin Clima organized a workshop in Costa Rica to help 20 Latin American journalists better understand the country’s transition to a sustainable economy—and how it compares to efforts in their own regions. They learned about Costa Rica’s low-carbon energy policies and the challenges it faces in implementing sustainable transport, wastewater management, creating green jobs. Participants heard from Costa Rican officials and visited key sites showcasing sustainable development efforts. Following the workshop, 14 stories were produced across seven countries—Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, and Uruguay.
In 2018, Fundasaun Media Development Centre (FMDC) used EJN’s Asia-Pacific media grant to organize Timor-Leste’s first environmental reporting workshop since the establishment of the Timor-Leste Press Council in 2015. Over five days, 20 young journalists from various media organizations learned about under-reported issues related to waste management, biodiversity loss, and natural disaster risk management. They visited the Tibar landfill site and interviewed workers involved in waste segregation. With EJN’s support, FMDC also held an environmental journalism competition to further build journalists' capacity in environmental reporting.
In 2018, EJN and the University of the South Pacific held a workshop in Suva, Fiji, to train journalism students in Mobile Journalism, or MoJo which enables journalists to produce multimedia content from their phones, without any need of expensive equipment. During the training, students worked on video news stories on climate and environmental issues in their communities. They also visited the Korova settlement, where they reported on the challenges faced by Moce Islanders who had migrated due to rising sea levels.
Jared Koli, a journalism student from the University of the South Pacific, reports on the impact of rising sea levels on Moce Islanders:
In 2019, EJN and former Climate Change Media Partnership Fellow, Andrea Polanco, held a workshop in Belize to deepen journalists’ understanding of threats to the Mesoamerican Reef, explore potential conservation solutions, and improve reporting on coastal management issues. During the training, the 15 local journalists who attended learned about the Healthy Reef Report Card—a biennial assessment of the Mesoamerican Reef's health—and gained tips on effective reporting. They also visited two cayes—small islands surrounded by extensive coral reefs—impacted by construction and cruise tourism.
In 2019, as part of our East Africa Wildlife Journalism project, EJN held a workshop in Mombasa, Kenya, to enhance reporting on wildlife crime and conservation in the region. Over five days, 17 journalists from across East Africa learned about wildlife trafficking, marine conservation, the role of indigenous knowledge in environmental protection, and more. They visited key conservation sites, including a wildlife smuggling detection unit and community-led marine and forest conservation projects. Participants also explored innovative community responses to human-wildlife conflict and discussed strategies for overcoming resource limitations, newsroom resistance, and threats from vested interests.
In 2020, the Indonesian Data Journalism Network hosted a virtual hackathon with EJN support to boost data-driven environmental reporting in Indonesia. The two-week event brought together journalists, graphic designers, environmental activists, and programmers from across the country. Participants took courses on data journalism, discussed regional environmental challenges with trainers and activists, and developed and presented data-driven reporting proposals. One team from each city received a grant to complete their project.
In 2021, the Nest Center for Journalism Innovation and Development launched the Uzeg Biodiversity Training Initiative—Mongolia’s first journalism support program, with a grant awarded through EJN’s Biodiversity Media Initiative. The project trained 60 journalists from 13 of Mongolia’s 21 provinces to report more effectively on biodiversity issues, such as reindeer pasture degradation and community efforts to combat desertification, while introducing new formats like mobile journalism. The training led to impactful stories including a mobile-produced documentary on the effects of dust storms on people, livestock, and wildlife in Mongolia.
In 2021, Albanian NGO, Together for Life, also with support from EJN’s Biodiversity Media Initiative, launched a project aimed at strengthening environmental journalism in Albania. They led a biodiversity workshop in Përmet, southern Albania, for 10 journalists from local and national media outlets to engage with experts in biodiversity, journalism and European and Albanian legislation. They visited and reported on the Vjosa River, Europe’s last wild river, threatened by proposed dam construction. Workshop participants went on to produce 12 stories—some sparking national discussions on environmental corruption—and came together in an informal network, "Pro Mjedisit,", to continue to exchange environmental information.
In 2022, the I’lam Center was awarded a media grant through EJN’s Covering Coastal Resilience project to train over 50 Palestinian journalists on the impacts of climate change—an underreported issue in the region. Over several workshops and a field trip, participants discussed the media's role in addressing environmental issues and visited the Golan Heights and Haifa in Israel to learn about the impacts of conflict on climate and the environment, efforts to recycle water and improve energy efficiency, and more. Journalists produced more than 30 stories and new research on the state of climate and environmental journalism in Israel and Palestine.
In 2023, EJN and the Bertarelli Foundation, organized a media workshop in the Maldives as part of EJN’s Ocean Media Initiative. The training aimed to strengthen journalists' capacity to report on ocean issues and promote cross-border collaboration in the Indian Ocean region. Over three days, 15 journalists from 11 countries learned about marine protected areas, ocean governance, and climate impacts, among other topics. They engaged with leading scientists, participated in reef restoration and snorkelling activities, and were encouraged to develop ocean-related story pitches for their audiences back home.
In 2023, we hosted a virtual media workshop on marine pollution as part of EJN’s Ocean Media Initiative. Over three days, 40 journalists learned about the sources and impacts of marine pollution including the growing threats of marine debris, light and noise pollution, as well as governance and policy measures aimed at combatting the issue. Participants received tips on crafting compelling marine pollution stories—including how to incorporate data—and were invited to share story pitches using skills gained from the training. Three journalists were then selected for story grants to cover underreported issues and went on to report on the phenomena of sea snot in the Marmara Sea, the environmental impacts of light pollution off the coast of Karachi and harmful shipbreaking practices in Ghana.
In April 2024, EJN, through our Pathways to Net Zero project, organized a media workshop in Entre Ríos, Argentina, to help local journalists better understand the country’s progress toward net zero. Over three days, 13 journalists engaged with climate policy experts to learn more about local energy markets and Argentina's role in global climate negotiations. They also developed their skills in climate data journalism, discussed strategies for combating climate misinformation, and visited Isla Dolores to learn about biodiversity threats and government-led conservation efforts along the Uruguay River.
From September 2023 to June 2024, Factcheck Lab and Science 99 ran a year-long training program for journalists covering the health effects of climate change in Hong Kong with EJN support. Twenty-seven local journalists participated in six virtual workshops and attended an in-person networking event. They learned how to report on environmental and health issues, critically assess scientific research, and combat climate change misinformation. Following the training, five journalists were awarded story grants and went on to report on the environmental impacts of proposed development projects and emerging ESG standards for private equity, among other issues. The project team also developed a comprehensive reporting toolkit featuring a variety of bilingual resources.
For the past few years, EJN, through its Renewable Energy in India project has led several regional workshops for communicators to learn more about the country’s ambitious renewable energy targets, and its progress so far. One of these was held earlier this year in Bihar, where 27 participants learned from subject experts about India’s looming energy crisis, the state’s renewable energy targets—and the challenges it faces in achieving these goals. They learned why it is crucial for women's perspectives to be incorporated in energy reporting—and policy—for a truly just and equitable transition. They also received training in visual storytelling and visited a solar-powered mini-grid in Lalganj.
Banner image: Journalists visited the forest preserved by the Lahu Indigenous community in Chiang Rai, Thailand, as part of EJN’s Enhancing Inclusivity in Reporting Water and Climate media training workshop, supported by Australian Aid and Australian Water Partnership / Credit: EJN.