In connection with the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, IMS is supporting media practitioners participating the meeting in collaboration with "Earth Journalism Awards "and "The Climate Change Media Partnership"

When leaders of the world meet up in Copenhagen for the COP15 climate change meeting in December, negotiations will be closely monitored by media practitioners from around the world. In collaboration with Internews Europe and a consortium of Panos, Internews and IIED, IMS is supporting the participation of media practitioners from a number og developing countries.

Role of media crucial in meeting objectives of climate change agreements

- The role of media is crucial in fulfilling the objectives in the Climate Convention, the Kyoto protocol, and in the setting up of new measures and target for mitigating climate change and the effects of climate change, says IMS Executive Director, Jesper Højberg.

Ahead and during COP15 IMS will collaborate closely with international media development and support organisations to highlight the importance of the role of media in securing public participation and involvement in accordance with the Aarhus Convention.

IMS will also provide direct support to maximize the outcome for all participants involved in the shape of technical expertise, as well as logistical and practical support to the Earth Journalism Awards and Climate Change Media Partnership.

Climate change reporting world wide

Within the framework of the Earth Journalism Awards, IMS is collaborating with Internews on facilitating 15 journalists who have won one of 14 awards honouring professional journalists and citizen journalists/bloggers who use their communication skills and influence to promote awareness of and provide new insight into climate change issues through the production of powerful and eye-opening news and current affairs reports.

In addition, the winning stories will be posted on the Internet so that the public can vote on the best story of all, which will then be deemed the winner of a special Global Public Award.

In a separate initiative, 40 climate change reporters from developing countries will join the COP15 as fellows of the Climate Change Media Partnership, an initiative established by three organisations: IIED, Panos and Internews. Since 2007 CCMP has invited skilled reporters to join their media clinic at every Conference of the Parties (COP) within the framework of the Climate Convention and built a network of around 100 climate change journalists from developing countries.

From IMS' own global network of media partners, IMS has offered a number of reporters the opportunity to participate in COP15 as a means to promote the importance of climate change reporting world wide.

Several activities will take place over the next couple of weeks and IMS related activities will be announced on the IMS website.