An initiative of the CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (CIJ) Goldsmiths, University of London
An initiative of the CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (CIJ) Goldsmiths, University of London
DataLEADS in partnership with the CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (CIJ) Goldsmiths, University of London, invites applications for “The Open Climate Reporting Initiative: Climate Investigations Course”. The four day investigative course will support journalists from newsrooms across the South Asian region to enhance their understanding, skills, and tools in reporting on climate change and its impact. Selected journalists will get six months to work on a cross border investigative story related to climate change.
The applications are open to journalists from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. South Asian region continues to bear the brunt of climate change with rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, heatwaves, melting ice caps, forest fires, floods and landslides. Climate Investigations Course will help South Asian journalists gain an understanding of how to report effectively on climate change and create compelling cross border stories through a hands-on practical story lab workshop approach.
The Open Climate Reporting Initiative (OCRI) is an initiative of the CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (CIJ) Goldsmiths, University of London. It focuses on raising the standard of environmental investigations to enable thoroughly researched public interest reporting and evidence-based advocacy through training and skill-sharing with target audiences across six different regions. OCRI provides the necessary tools, techniques, and expertise to:
If you are an investigative journalist who wants to tell a story on climate change in South Asia, this programme is for you!
This Climate Investigations Course is for you, if you are:
Adeel Saeed is a Pakistan based media professional and story teller with focus on feature stories on devastating impacts of climate change and threats to public health. Most of my stories are related to vector borne diseases, zoonotic diseases, and lack of awareness regarding necessary vaccination among children especially against polio, threats to mental health of youngsters due to drug addiction, gender issues and transgender rights. Being a Master’s Degree holder in Journalism from Mass Communication Department of Peshawar University, I am working with Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), official news agency of Pakistan for the last more than 25 years. I am also member of cohort of eco-journalists formed by Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS), a German organization, and contributed several research based stories for its dossier on impacts of climate change In year 2023 I had been selected for MSF-DNDI (Medicines San Frontier and Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative) fellowship for contribution of story on Neglected Tropical Disease.
Rukshana Rizwie is an international journalist and former correspondent for CNN, with bylines in publications such as BBC, Al Jazeera, France 24, and The Washington Post. Her reporting spans defense, crime, and humanitarian issues, climate change with a special focus on forced migration and human trafficking. Known for her innovative storytelling, Rukshana has used immersive formats like visual novels to bring global injustices to light. Now, she’s expanding her expertise by studying computational journalism, aiming to merge technology and investigative reporting to uncover deeper insights and create impactful narratives that drive change and awareness in the digital age.
Pamodi is a journalist from Colombo, exploring stories which affect people living in Sri Lanka. Her work aims to focus on labour rights, human rights, and environmental justice. She has investigated exploitative forms of tourism and thrill sports affecting the whale population in Sri Lanka’s southern seas. She highlighted a proposed water irrigation project’s potential harm to the Sinharaja Rainforest – a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka. She also reported on the burning of the MV X-Press Pearl off of the Western Coast of Sri Lanka – regarded as one of the largest marine environmental disasters to occur. When not writing, she spends her time reading, travelling around the island, or engaging in her guilty pleasure of scrolling through TikTok.
Jeff Joseph Paul is an investigative and multimedia journalist adept at environment and climate change reportage. Jeff’s reporting has focused on investigations with lived experiences arising from developmental and resource conflicts at its core. These have included on-ground investigations and longform reportage on indigenous rights, environmental issues, climate change, and energy transition among others. Jeff’s works have been published by most publications in India where he has also been awarded for his investigative journalism.
He is a recipient of reporting grants from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting as well as Earth Journalism Network’s grant for video production on renewable energy in India. He is also the recipient of EJN’s One Health story grant.
Masum Billah is an award-winning journalist based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He boasts an impressive portfolio with contributions to esteemed publications such as The Guardian, Al Jazeera English, South China Morning Post, The Diplomat, VICE, and JustStyle. Renowned for comprehensive reporting, in-depth features, and investigative stories, his notable piece, “Sold in Cambodia: How Bangladeshis are lured into slavery,” earned recognition from the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) as one of the top investigative stories from Bangladesh in 2022, and awarded the 8th Brac Migration Media Award in 2023. A Himalayan University Consortium fellow, Masum Billah has covered climate change, environmental issues, conservation, and crises throughout his career.
From the devastating Sylhet flood in 2022, and the recent flash floods in the southeastern Bangladesh to Cyclone Remal and the invasive salinity crisis in coastal areas, climate journalism has been a central pillar of Masum’s work.
Rashad Ahamad is an investigative journalist with over 14 years of reporting experience covering climate change, environment, disaster management and health among others. Rashad focuses reporting on the ground in the intersections of health, migration, labor, and climate change. His work explores corruption in climate finance and how climate change affects the lives and livelihoods of people. Rashad, a university graduate in English Literature, is currently working with multimedia news outlet New Age, having previously contributed to The Daily Star and The Business Post. He has also freelance for several prominent international outlets, including The Washington Post, NPR, France 24, Al Jazeera, ZDF, and Deutsche Welle. He has participated the UN Business and Human Rights Conference in Nepal and the 7th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue among others as fellow. Rashad is the President of the Marine Journalists Network, and a permanent member of the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity.