International Journalism Workshop on Climate Rights in Vienna

The application deadline for this workshop has been extended: apply here until February 10, 2024!

Justice and Environment (J&E) in partnership with BlueLink is hosting this international workshop for journalists as part of the implementation of the project DACE - Discussions and Actions on Climate and Environment. This two-day long workshop is held in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting of the J&E member organizations.

At the workshop participating journalists collaborate in: sharing knowledge, facts, and story tips; elaborating professional approaches; establishing editorial and ethical norms; and exchanging experience and strategies for quality watchdog journalism. By this workshop, BlueLink pursues its active engagement with strengthening watchdog journalists across the EU.

Workshop purpose and outline: The event will contribute to improving the media coverage on climate related issues, in line with the DACE project objective to raise awareness of EU citizens about climate policies with a focus on the adaptation to climate change and citizens' climate rights. The workshop will provide participants with up-to-date expert comments and information on climate litigation, climate change policies, laws and climate rights. DACE project experts will present recent data and legal cases on both national and EU level and respond to participants’ questions.

The international workshop will gather 25 participants - journalists, communicators and experts covering climate change and related policies. The workshop will introduce participants to the novel concept of climate rights, in the context of European and national climate policies, laws and litigation. Leading experts and members of the Justice and Environment Association across Europe will present cases and comments on both national and EU level and take part in discussions with journalists.

This is a no-cost offline workshop held in English. No translation to other languages will be provided.  Travel, accommodation and food costs of accepted participants will be covered by the organizers, unless prohibited by the ethical codes of participants’ home media.

Participants profile: Active journalists, either employed by mass media or free-lancers, with solid professional exposure to environment and climate issues are invited to join the workshop. Priority will be given to journalists working on cases, covered by DACE partners in Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Spain, as well as other Justice and Environment Association members across the EU (see the list of J&E members here).

Facilitators: Experienced environmental journalists Pavel Antonov, BlueLink Executive Editor (Hungary/Bulgaria) and award winning multi-platform journalist Elinda Labropoulou, CNN live on camera reporter focusing on migration and environmental refugees among other critical issues (Greece).

Date: February 25 – 26, 2024

Application: Participants are asked to provide information about their experience and interest in the workshop by completing an application form available HERE, application deadline extended by February 10, 2024.

Selection: Successful participants will be selected by a J&E and BlueLink committee based on the quality of application, geographic diversity and potential for future engagement with climate rights, demonstrated by the applicant.

J&E and BlueLink do not discriminate among candidates on the basis of race, gender, age or any other differences. Priority will be given to qualified applicants with disadvantaged and minority backgrounds.

Follow-up: After the workshop’s completion participants will be supported and encouraged to publish investigative/watchdog climate rights stories in their home media. Resulting articles will be promoted by DACE project partners and through the Justice and Environment Association's website. Selected articles will be published in English by the BlueLink Stories e-magazine for Central and Eastern Europe where possible.

Image: Adaptation of image by Rochak Shukla on Freepik.

This article and the workshop are part of the Justice and Environment (J&E) network's initiative, called Discussions and Actions on Climate and Environment and executed with the support of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). All views and opinions expressed are the authors’ only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union (EU).
 

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