Deadline: May 11,2018
Good news for all aspiring environmental journalists, writers and activists out there! Climate Tracker is returning to the Philippines with a new and exciting workshop on climate change journalism! Join us in Manilla and meet national and international experts in environmental reporting.
Do you care about the environment? Do you use your pen, camera or voice to communicate on climate change issues in the Philippines? Would you love to meet people who do the same and get taught by experts to do it better? Then this is somethinClimate Tracker Appg for you!
Climate Tracker is looking for young journalists and activists to write about the fossil fuel industry in the Philippines: publish an article, blogpost or multimedia piece and make a chance to win a fully-funded fellowship to our expert workshop in Manilla.
Submit the URL of your article through the Climate Tracker Appbefore May the 11th and join the Climate Tracker team in Manilla!
What should I write about?
The Philippines is suffering from a serious addiction: it is affecting its citizens health, causing massive environmental destruction, and damaging its economy. The country is addicted to coal!
The Philippines has a growing economy that has been investing massively in fossil fuels for its increased energy needs: fossils power close to three quarters of the Philippines’ electricity requirements, with the remaining quarter coming from RE. Moreover, the country is planning 28 new coal-fired power plants (of which 22 are in the pre-permit stage), and an additional 21 are already under construction! Up to the year 2040 the Philippines will steadily keep increasing its coal-fired power capacity.
Only about 15% of all coal plants have official permits, which means the majority of coal plants have not gone through an adequate economic and environmental assessment prior to their construction. This proliferation of poorly regulated coal plants jeopardizes the future of the country, locking it into coal use for several more decades without taking into account the effects for the local environment, the national economy and the global climate.
Despite relatively ambitious climate targets for the Philippines – cutting emissions by 70% below business as usual by 2030 – a high uncertainty remains as to whether Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte intends to take any substantial action required to meet its Paris climate commitment or whether his government will weaken it.
The recent announcements on continued support for coal-based electricity generation – including 7,560 MW in pre-construction development and 4,581 MW in construction – and the increasing coal-fired power capacity up to the year 2040 add significantly to this uncertainty.
Nonetheless, there is an alternative: the Department of Energy has admitted the country has untapped Renewable Energy potential for electric power generation of no less than 250,000 MW – broken down into hydro, 10,000 MW; ocean energy, 170,000 MW; geothermal, 4,000; wind, 76,600 MW; solar, 5 kWh/m2/day; and biofuels sugar cogen, rice husk, and coconut, 500 MW.
The growing potential for solar energy in the Philippines was recently demonstrated by an agreement with the energy company Meralco to sell its solar power at US$58 per MWh, half the cost of the company’s price for coal power. Despite the obvious advantages of renewable energy investments in PH, the national Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2009-2030 gives priority to fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. According to the plan, the department’s number one policy thrust of energy security is to “accelerate the exploration and development of oil, gas and coal resources,” much ahead of the “development and utilization of renewable and environment-friendly alternative energy resources/technologies.”
This needs to change! And we need you to help us: write about the need to get rid of coal and transition to renewable energy in the Philippines, submit your article before 11th May, and win a fellowship to our journalism workshop!
The best writers will be chosen by analysing their outreach and writing skills.
The final shortlisted candidates may be asked to write another article or demonstrate their journalistic skills in some other way if the final decision is difficult.
This is a competition for young journalists, activists and environmental communicators to get their voice heard and to help stop the expansion of fossil fuels in the Philippines. We are looking for writers, photographers, videographers, or people communicating through any other medium to help us spread this message.
The best 10 submissions will get a fellowship for our journalism workshop in Manilla.
Benefits:
(travel costs and accommodation included) !
Which countries are eligible?
This is a competition for people from South-East Asia only, but most participants will be selected from the Philippines.
Is there an age limit?
We accept applicants that are between 18 and 30 years old, but you are encouraged to apply anyway if you do not fulfill this requirement (age is just a number anyway).
