Call for Innovative Environmental Media Projects in Asia-Pacific

The Earth Journalism Network (EJN) invites groundbreaking project proposals from media organizations, journalism-focused institutions, and entities collaborating directly with content creators in the Asia-Pacific. This opportunity aims to address underreported environmental challenges while amplifying the voices of vulnerable communities in the region. Please review the details below for eligibility requirements and the application process.

Context and Background

In 2024, the Asia-Pacific region faced a series of severe climate impacts, including extreme heatwaves, prolonged droughts, and destructive monsoons that caused widespread flooding and landslides. These escalating crises highlight the urgency of tackling the interconnected threats of climate change, poverty, food insecurity, disease, and biodiversity loss.

Projections from the Asian Development Bank suggest that, under a high-emissions scenario, climate impacts could reduce the region’s GDP by 17% by 2070 and by as much as 41% by the century’s end. Despite this, existing funding commitments for climate adaptation and resilience fall significantly short of what is needed to address these mounting challenges.

To raise public awareness and drive cross-sectoral solutions, EJN is launching a new round of grants under the second phase of its Asia-Pacific project. This initiative, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), seeks to enhance the quantity and quality of environmental reporting in the region while elevating the perspectives of communities most at risk.

Eligibility Criteria

This grant opportunity is open to media organizations, journalism-focused institutions, and other eligible entities operating in low- and middle-income countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Applicants must have the legal capacity to receive funding from international organizations.

The following are not eligible for this round of funding:

•Civil society groups, grassroots organizations, and academic research institutions.

•Applicants based in Pakistan, Central Asia, or the Middle East.

EJN reserves the right to disqualify applications if unethical practices are identified, such as plagiarism or the submission of AI-generated content as original work.

Goals and Objectives

Proposals should align with the following overarching goals:

1.Empower journalists and media outlets to produce high-quality, evidence-based reporting on environmental issues, focusing on the human and ecological impacts and actionable solutions.

2.Improve public understanding of environmental issues, emphasizing the interdependence between human health, ecosystems, and sustainable practices.

3.Highlight the disproportionate impact of environmental degradation on marginalized groups, including women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, ethnic minorities, and low-income communities, while ensuring these groups have access to critical environmental information.

4.Inspire positive changes in governance, policies, private sector practices, or consumer behavior toward sustainability.

Focus Areas

Proposals should target one or more of the following themes:

•Underreported Issues: Exploring links between environmental challenges and topics such as health, migration, organized crime, and conflict.

•Human-Environment Interdependence: Investigating how human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected.

•Governance and Resources: Examining environmental policies and the management of natural resources.

•Energy and Finance: Highlighting the transition to sustainable energy and the role of climate financing.

•Community Resilience: Showcasing solutions for communities to adapt to and mitigate the effects of environmental crises.

We encourage proposals incorporating innovative approaches, such as the ethical use of artificial intelligence, collaborations with social media influencers, or partnerships with marginalized groups.

Eligible Activities

Examples of potential activities include:

•Organizing journalist training sessions to enhance reporting on climate and environmental issues.

•Providing story grants and mentorship programs for journalists and content creators.

•Developing tools for reporters, such as e-learning resources, data visualization platforms, or fact-checking tools.

•Supporting collaborative investigative projects that promote cross-border learning and content sharing.

•Creating new storytelling platforms or networks for environmental journalists.

•Building partnerships between journalists, researchers, and policymakers to facilitate knowledge exchange.

Funding and Logistics

This funding cycle has a total budget of $100,000, which will be divided among 5-6 projects. Grants will range from $15,000 to $20,000, depending on the scope of the proposal. Projects must be completed within 12 months, with no extensions allowed.

Applicants are required to submit a detailed, well-justified budget and may allocate up to 10% of the grant for equipment essential to the project’s success. Co-financing is encouraged but not mandatory.

Selected organizations will participate in a participatory Organizational Capacity Assessment and may receive additional support to strengthen their operational capabilities, such as training in financial reporting, monitoring, evaluation, and gender inclusion.

Additionally, one representative from each selected organization will join an EJN Asia-Pacific Forum, where they will engage in networking, capacity-building sessions, and training on addressing the needs of marginalized groups.

For projects involving the publication of stories or materials, EJN and its partners will retain the rights to edit, publish, and distribute the content produced under the grant.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by elevating environmental journalism and storytelling in one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world.

Scroll down for more information and click on the official link attached to apply for this opportunity