Pulitzer Center Update February 7, 2025
Special Calls for Journalism and Civil Society Climate Grants
Be Part of Impactful Conversation and Actions at COP30
For the past three years, the Pulitzer Center has been taking part in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Conference of the Parties, or COP) meetings to share the work the Center does to report and educate on the climate crisis. We have heard many exciting dialogues, met inspiring people, and learned new resources to support efforts that address how environmental issues affect communities around the world.
We also realized that there are many challenges, some setbacks, and advancements to be made.
In November, the Amazon city of Belém, Brazil, will host this year’s convening of COP30. With COP29 ending with outstanding commitments and unresolved agreements, there are high expectations for this year’s event to result in concrete achievements and a more optimistic outlook in 2025.
There will be continued focus on the world’s threatened rainforests, ocean, and their guardians; the risks local communities face; Indigenous rights; and other critical issues. There will also be exchanges of ideas, research, and innovations that accelerate solutions.
The Pulitzer Center intends to take a central role in bridging climate actions, dialogues, and solutions. We recently launched two special calls for grants that will support journalists and civil society actors that seek to shed light on environmental issues and foster a debate around the climate crisis.
For the journalism grant, we invite journalists and media organizations who want to investigate how governance and policy decisions impact rainforest and ocean ecosystems, how the absence or misuse of regulations and industrial practices contributes to the climate crisis, the challenges communities face, illicit supply chain mechanisms, controversial green solutions, and other related issues.
A grant targeted at civil society organizations and groups aims to support projects that, inspired by Pulitzer Center-supported stories, amplify the voices of affected communities, spark public debate, and ignite meaningful knowledge exchange. Forums, multi-stakeholder dialogues, art exhibitions, creative campaigns, and platforms to raise awareness are examples of the type of activities we seek to find in addressing climate issues.
With these grants, we seek to support projects that spotlight urgent environmental challenges and foster conversations at COP30 in November.
The proposals can be submitted until February 15, 2025. We accept applications in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and bahasa Indonesia. Visit these dedicated pages for detailed information on eligibility and application deadlines for each grant.
Join us and be part of the COP30 dialogues and actions!
.png.webp?itok=uqT7m9t5)
Impact
The Colombian Constitutional Court ruled in favor of Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN) Fellow César Molinares last month, after years of legal battles over Colombians' right to information related to environmental damage.
Part of the first RIN cohort, Molinares set out to trace back the supply chain of beef consumed in Colombia. His project revealed that much of the supply came from places of recent deforestation near protected natural areas in the country’s south and east, including the Colombian Amazon. During his research, Molinares reached out to grocery stores and others along the supply chain. One supermarket chain, Supertiendas Olímpica, gave evasive answers, claiming the information was protected under business confidentiality. Molinares and his team at 360-grados.co, with legal support from Dejusticia, challenged this in court, and the Colombian Constitutional Court ruled in his favor. The court said that Molinares’ right to information as a Colombian granted him access to details about the supply chain.
This ruling sets a precedent for Colombians, holding up journalists in their effort to bring public attention to systemic issues that affect the environment.
Read the full story here.
Photo of the Week
This message first appeared in the February 7, 2025, edition of the Pulitzer Center's weekly newsletter. Subscribe today.
Click here to read the full newsletter.
