COP31 Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowship 2026

Introduction

Applications are now open for the COP31 Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP) Reporting Fellowship 2026, a fully funded opportunity for journalists and creator journalists from low- and middle-income countries who want to cover one of the world’s most important climate events. The application deadline is 17 June 2026, and there is no application fee to apply.

This fellowship is specifically for journalists working in the field of climate change reporting. Selected fellows will travel to Antalya, Türkiye, to cover the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP31), which takes place from 9 to 20 November 2026. Everything is covered flights, accommodation, meals, ground transport, travel insurance, and even visa costs. Fellows also receive a small personal stipend on top of all that.

What makes this cycle especially significant is that for the very first time, independent creator journalists , people who report on climate through social media and digital platforms without being attached to a traditional media outlet , are also eligible to apply. That is a big change from previous years.

This is not a scholarship for students. It is a professional fellowship for working journalists who have already been covering climate-related topics and want to bring that reporting to the global stage. If your country is on the eligible list and you have never attended a UN climate COP before, this could be the opportunity that changes your career.

Key Details:

• Fellowship Name: COP31 Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP) Reporting Fellowship
• Organized By: Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security
• Type: Professional Journalism Fellowship (not a student scholarship)
• Event Being Covered: COP31 , 31st UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties
• Host City: Antalya, Türkiye
• Event Dates: 9–20 November 2026
• Application Deadline: 17 June 2026, 11:59 PM (Pacific/Niue time)
• Results Announced: Early September 2026
• Funding Type: Fully Funded
• Application Fee: None
• Open To: Journalists from eligible low- and middle-income countries only (see full list below)
• Language: Applications must be in English only
• First-Time Attendees Only: Yes , applicants who have attended any UN climate COP before are not eligible

What This Fellowship Covers — Everything You Receive

This fellowship does not just get you into the room. It takes care of virtually every cost involved in attending a major international conference for two full weeks. Here is a clear breakdown of what you actually receive:

• Economy-class return airfare — Your flight to and from Antalya is fully covered. The ticket is non-refundable and booked by the organizers.
• Accommodation — CCMP organizers arrange your hotel stay for the full duration of COP31. They aim for single-occupancy rooms but applicants should be comfortable with the possibility of shared housing if needed.
• All meals — Meals are covered as part of the fellowship logistics.
• Ground transportation — Any local transport needed for fellowship activities is covered.
• Travel medical insurance — Full travel insurance for the duration of the trip is provided.
• Visa cost reimbursement — While getting the visa is your responsibility, the CCMP will reimburse the cost of obtaining it.
• Personal stipend — Fellows receive a small stipend to cover any personal or incidental expenses during the trip.
• Pre-COP virtual training workshop — Before you travel, you get access to a preparatory online session where you meet your trainers, discuss story ideas, ask questions, and understand how the conference works.
• In-person orientation on arrival — Once in Antalya, there is a dedicated orientation session with experienced climate journalists and subject matter experts who walk you through the key issues at this specific COP.
• Daily briefings and one-on-one mentoring — Throughout the two weeks, you receive daily briefings and have direct access to senior EJN trainers for guidance on your stories.
• Access to reporting resources — Fellows get access to a shared resource board and a group chat on a messaging platform throughout the fellowship for real-time information sharing and support.
• Exclusive interview opportunities — The fellowship organizers arrange group interviews with high-level officials and subject matter experts that you would not get access to on your own.
• Networking events — You are invited to networking mixers with journalists from around the world and cohort-building activities like group meals and local excursions.
• Speaking and moderation opportunities — Depending on your profile, selected fellows may also be invited to speak or moderate at official and unofficial side events during the summit.
• Editorial support and story feedback — EJN trainers review your story ideas and give feedback on drafts throughout the fellowship period.
• Republication exposure — Stories filed by fellows may be republished on EJN’s website and cross-posted on the Stanley Center’s website, giving your work a much wider international audience.

Who Can Apply — Eligibility Criteria:

This fellowship has specific conditions. Read each one carefully before applying:

• You must be a professional journalist from or representing an established media house, OR a creator journalist who uses journalistic practices to deliver climate coverage through social media and digital platforms
• You must be from or reporting for an outlet in an eligible country (see the country list section below)
• You must never have attended any UNFCCC climate COP in person before , whether self-funded or through a fellowship
• You must be available to travel to Antalya, Türkiye and attend the full two weeks of COP31 in person (9–20 November 2026)
• You must have a good command of the English language and be able to participate fully in an English-language fellowship
• You must have previous experience reporting on climate change topics
• You must commit to participating in all CCMP fellowship activities throughout the two weeks
• Freelancers are welcome to apply, but must provide a signed letter of support from a media outlet committing to publish the stories you produce during the fellowship

Documents you need to prepare before applying:

• An updated CV or resume
• A video of no more than 2 minutes explaining what you plan to report on at COP31
• A letter of support from your editor, producer, or supervisor confirming your stories will be published or broadcast
• A minimum of three recent, relevant work samples on climate change topics, published between 15 May 2025 and 15 June 2026. These can be uploaded as documents or web links. Stories can be in any language but must include a short English synopsis. Broad or general climate stories will be less competitive , stories focused on specific climate issues in your country are preferred.

Important note on AI use: The application form asks applicants to disclose any use of generative AI tools. If you submit AI-generated content without disclosing it, you may be disqualified.

Who Is NOT Eligible:

• Journalists who have attended any UNFCCC COP before, with or without EJN support
• Singapore Permanent Residents or applicants from high-income countries not on the eligible list
• Applicants who cannot attend the full two weeks in Antalya
• Applicants who cannot submit the application in English
• Applicants not from or affiliated with an outlet in an eligible country

What You Are Expected to Produce:

Getting selected comes with real professional responsibilities. Fellows are expected to:

• Produce multiple stories for their media house during the two weeks of COP31
• Stories can be in any medium , print, online, radio, broadcast, or digital
• Provide high-quality English summaries of any stories published in other languages
• Fully translate at least one story into English so it can be shared with a wider international audience (translation tools like DeepL are allowed for this)
• Include the following tagline in all published stories or broadcasts: “This story was produced as part of the COP31 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.”
• Grant EJN, its partner sites, and grant funders the rights to edit, republish, broadcast, and distribute stories freely

Fields and Beats Covered by This Fellowship:

• Climate Change Journalism
• Environmental Reporting
• Climate Policy and Negotiations
• Science and Technology Journalism
• Investigative Environmental Journalism
• Broadcast Journalism (TV and Radio)
• Online and Digital Journalism
• Print Journalism
• Community and Local Media Journalism
• Freelance Climate Journalism
• Climate-focused Creator Journalism and Content Creation
• Social Media Climate Reporting
• Development and Humanitarian Journalism (climate angle)
• Energy and Sustainability Reporting
• Food Security and Agriculture Journalism
• Disaster and Climate Risk Reporting

Eligible Countries:

The following countries are eligible for the COP31 CCMP Reporting Fellowship. These were selected because they are low- and middle-income countries as defined by the World Bank, are in a region near the COP host country, or have a demonstrated need for stronger climate reporting:

Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Türkiye, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

What Makes a Strong Application:

The selection panel is not just looking for good writers. They are looking for journalists who clearly know what they want to report and why. Based on the judging criteria, here is what will make your application stand out:

• Your climate reporting experience is specific and well-documented , not just general environment stories, but focused coverage of climate change, climate policy, or climate impacts in your country
• Your coverage plan for COP31 is clear, detailed, and realistic , you know which stories you want to pursue, who you might interview, and how many stories you expect to produce
• Your media outlet has real reach and a genuine commitment to publishing your work from the conference
• You represent a geography or medium that adds diversity to the cohort , the fellowship tries to assemble journalists from different regions and different formats

About the Organizers:

The CCMP has been running since 2007 and this is its 19th edition. In that time, it has brought more than 550 journalists from low- and middle-income countries to UN climate negotiations. The programme is run by two organizations:

Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is a programme of Internews, one of the world’s largest international media development organizations. EJN trains and supports journalists in developing countries to cover environment and climate stories with accuracy and impact.

The Stanley Center for Peace and Security works to build political will for peace and works with journalists, policymakers, and civil society to address global security challenges including climate change.

Together, these two organizations handle all logistics, training, editorial support, and funding for the fellowship.

How to Apply:

• Go to the official COP31 CCMP Fellowship application page on the EJN website
• If you already have an account, log in. If not, click “Log in” then “Sign up” to create a new account
• Fill in the application form and upload all required documents
• If you need to save and come back later, click “Save Draft” , but remember to return and submit before the deadline
• Submit your application before 17 June 2026 at 11:59 PM (Pacific/Niue time)

Note for creator journalists: There is a separate application link for creator journalists. Make sure you are applying through the correct form based on whether you are a traditional journalist or a creator journalist.

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered under any circumstances. The organizers strongly recommend submitting at least one day before the deadline to avoid any last-minute technical issues.

If you face any difficulties during the application process, contact: info.ejn@internews.org

Do not email any other Internews address , they will not receive it.

Important Things to Know Before You Apply:

• You can only apply to one pathway , either the journalist track or the creator journalist track
• You are responsible for getting your own visa, but the cost will be reimbursed by CCMP
• Travel to Antalya is voluntary , Internews and the Stanley Center will monitor travel safety and communicate any concerns before the conference
• You must comply with all Türkiye government and venue requirements for entry and participation
• Dependant or family travel costs are not covered
• Research or production expenses beyond what is listed above are not covered by the fellowship
• The fellowship does not pay for stories separately , your payment comes from your own media outlet

Application Timeline:

• Applications Open: 27 May 2026
• Application Deadline: 17 June 2026 at 11:59 PM (Pacific/Niue)
• Results Announced: Early September 2026
• Conference Dates: 9–20 November 2026
• Location: Antalya, Türkiye

Contact:

For any questions about the application process:
Email: info.ejn@internews.org

Do not contact any other Internews email address regarding this fellowship.