What’s the climate for future policies around the Baltic Sea?

Amid the unfolding Brexit, the war in Ukraine, and an unclear future for EU-Russian relations, the European Union finds itself in troubled waters, also along the shorelines of the Baltic Sea. Illustrated by the controversies around the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, energy and climate are among the issues at the centre of recent frictions, overtly cooling e.g. German-Polish relations and driving a wedge between European Union member states.

• However, despite these political tensions, are environment, energy, and climate issues bound to be dividing?
• Alternatively, can they function instead as a catalyst for greater cooperation and exchange between the Baltic neighbours?

Against this background, the International Journalists’ Programmes (IJP) and Clean Energy Wire invite journalists from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany to participate in a cross-border  exchange programme on issues related to energy, environment, and climate change.

The programme

1.) Participants will have the possibility to spend two months working at a host media organisation in one of the project countries (from mid-October to mid-December 2017).
2.) In order to encourage and support your research along the way, we invite participants to work on collaborative research projects on an environment, energy, or climate story of their choice, in tandem with fellow participants.
3.) Participants will be able to attend a series of workshops introducing them to key issues of the EU’s and Germany’s energy and climate policies. These will include, inter alia:

• A kick-off workshop on 17-18 October 2017: During a two-day visit to Berlin and Mecklenburg as well as Western-Pomerania, participants will be briefed on the energy, climate, and transport policies of the EU and Germany. On-site visits to geothermal and energy storage plants, as well as to a hearing dedicated to the citizens’ perspective and involvement in energy and climate-related efforts, are also planned.

• A closing workshop on 12-14 December: At the end of the research programme, participants will present, discuss, and evaluate their stories with their peers. They will also develop, plan, and finalise the schedule of a joint field trip to one or more countries/sites relevant to their projects

4.) Each participant will receive a fellowship grant of 3,800 euros to help cover travel costs, accommodation, and personal expenses. All additional costs must be covered by the participants.

 Clean Energy Wire and IJP are also planning to complement the programme with a joint three-day research-related field trip to one or two of the participating countries in February or March 2018. Clean Energy Wire and IJP will develop the programme in close cooperation with the participants.

The application process

 Applications are open to print, online, TV, and radio journalists (employed or freelancer). They must be citizens of Germany, Poland, or the Baltic countries, aged between 18 and 40. Fluency in German, Polish, or one of the Baltic languages is not a prerequisite. However, a very good command of English is essential.

The deadline for applications is 15 September.

Applications must include:

• CV (including a photo)
• A letter of recommendation from an editor
• Four written samples of journalistic work (broadcast journalists are asked to submit a list of links to their samples)
• An indication of the preferred host media outlets and host regions (i.e. Munich, Warsaw, Riga) in programme countries Germany, Poland, or the Baltics.

 The selection committee will inform applicants if they were accepted by 20 September.

 Applications should be sent to:

IJP e.V.
Postfach 31 07 46
10637 Berlin, Germany

or

theo@ijp.org (for applicants from Germany or the Baltic states)

or

taube@ijp.org (for applicants from Germany or Poland)

Applications via email in a single PDF document are preferred.

If you have any queries regarding the programme or your application, please contact your programme coordinator.

For more information, please contact:

Carel C. Mohn, Director Media Programmes, Clean Energy Wire
carel.mohn@cleanenergywire.org
t. +49.30.7001435-13 www.cleanenergywire.org