About Climate Tracker

Climate Tracker (CT) is an international non-profit organization, aiming to support, train and incentivize better climate journalism globally. We believe in the power of journalism, but recognize that many young journalists don’t have the training, resources or support to identify and tell the climate stories they want to. We also recognise that this challenge is often greatest in the countries hardest hit by climate change.
Founded in 2015, Climate Tracker has had a consistent presence across Asia. Since then, we have engaged thousands of young Asian journalists through our combination of practically applied training, innovative media research, and locally focused grant opportunities.
In 2019, to bolster a stronger position in the region, Climate Tracker registered as a non-profit organization in the Philippines. Today, Climate Tracker continues to expand in Asia by working with local and global partners to improve the quality and quantity of climate journalism in the region.

Provide training and fellowships for young journalists around the world to tell better climate stories locally.

Conduct action-oriented media research to better understand the biggest challenges, trends, and obstacles to powerful climate reporting around the world.

Fund young journalists to report on the world’s most pressing issues and cover the world’s biggest moments, UN negotiations and conferences

Support global collaborations between young climate journalists, newsrooms and NGOs around the world.

Our Mission

Our mission is to support, train and incentivise young journalists in developing countries to tell better climate stories.

Our Model

  • Provide training and fellowships for young journalists around the world to tell better climate stories locally
  • Conduct action-oriented media research to better understand the biggest challenges, trends, and obstacles to powerful climate reporting around the world
  • Fund young journalists to report on the world’s most pressing issues and cover the world’s biggest moments, UN negotiations and conferences
  • Support global collaborations between young climate journalists, newsrooms and NGOs around the world

Our Core Values

At Climate Tracker, we want to support better climate journalism around the world. To achieve that, our core values include:

  • Focus On Journalists In Under-Resourced Geographies
Climate change is a global issue, and many journalists and newsrooms report on it incredibly well. However, there are too many powerful stories being untold, and too many young journalists who don’t receive the support they deserve. Our fellowships and training is most valuable in languages and geographies where this kind of support isn’t easy to find.
  • Invest In Young Journalists
We believe that young journalists are critical influencers in the global climate debate. The climate crisis is a global communications challenge that needs to be told with local audiences in mind. Investing in young journalists to tell accurate, informative, human stories, is one of our most powerful tools in developing in shaping the global climate debate. It is also an investment that can help shape national climate conversations for years to come.
  • Support Better Climate Stories
Our work is always focussed on supporting better stories for local audiences. To do that, we need to be able to better understand national media trends and support powerful local journalists to tell stories that resonate. Supporting better climate stories, also means supporting a broader range of storytellers.

Our History

Climate Tracker was founded in 2015, and has delivered cutting edge training, innovative media campaigns, and supported incredibly talented teams of young reporters around the world ever since.

The organisation was founded in the lead-up to the Paris Climate talks, but the idea was born years before. In 2009, a global coalition of climate-focused NGOs called the GCCA, believed that innovative young climate bloggers might be able to influence their national negotiators at the UN climate talks. This idea was known as Adopt a Negotiator.

The Adopt a Negotiator became an infamous element of the annual UN climate talks, pushing the boundaries of climate reporting at the time. Its reporters influenced front-page stories around the world, and supported dozens of powerful young reporters between 2009 and 2015.

After co-managing the Adopt a Negotiator project for 2 years alongside Joshua Wiese, Chris Wright wanted to build on this success, and create a global platform to support young climate journalists around the world. That is how Climate Tracker was born.

Since then, Climate Tracker has engaged more than 15,000 young journalists with fellowships, opportunities, and training around the world. Our network of journalists have published articles across more than 114 countries and in 24 different languages.
Sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung with funds of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany. This publication or parts of it can be used by others for free as long as they provide a proper reference to the original publication.

Our Team

Biena Magbitang

Regional Director

Became the youngest news manager in a media giant in Manila. Has produced documentaries on Climate Change, Sustainability and Disaster Risk Reduction recognized by international award-giving bodies. Working from the Philippines. Also speaks Filipino.

Gaea Katreena Cabico

Journalism Mentor

A young journalist based in the Philippines. Writes about the planet and its people. Believes that EXO is the best K-pop group. Also speaks Filipino.

Jonathan de Santos

Journalism Mentor
Chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. Has been working in news for 13 years, six of those as editor for Phillstar.com. Also speaks Filipino.

Siew Lyn Wong

Journalism Mentor

Has been producing content professionally for 30 years.Runs Macaranga, a Malaysia-based environmental journalism portal which she co-founded. Wishes she has the time to digitize her slide collection.

Kharishar Kahfi

Journalism Mentor
Has been interested in science and journalism since he was a boy and combined those interests by reporting on environment and science issues for The Jakarta Post. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in science journalism at New York University.

Agnes Saycon

Finance Manager

Has now managed funds across more than 65 countries and grants from every continent. Queen of Climate Tracker’s Karaoke competitions. Working from the Philippines. Also speaks Tagalog and Visayan.

Quimby Genota

Researcher

A research specialist and editor in a national government agency in the Philippines. Considers herself a polymer clay artist. Loves watching true-crime documentaries and drinking green tea with honey. Also speaks Filipino.

Karina Langit Rinesti

Researcher

Has been working at the intersection of Communication, Sciences and Diplomacy for more than five years. A sweet tooth and occasionally dabbles in voice-over. Working alternately from Jakarta and Yogyakarta. Also speaks Indonesian, Javanese and some French.

Yvonne Tan

Researcher

A writer and researcher who loves eating butter chicken. Working from Malaysia. Also speaks Malay and some Cantonese.

Dizzanne Billy

Outreach Manager

Was one of Climate Tracker’s fellows at the Paris Climate Talks, back in 2015. Passionate gardener and veggie smoothie maker. Working from Trinidad (and sometimes Tobago). Also speaks Trinidadian Creole, a little Spanish, and some Italian.

Chris Wright

Managing Director
Amateur Ultra Runner, Perpetually “learning Python”, Professional Coffee Drinker. Australian working from Borneo. Also speaks Malay and Spanish.

Rio Tuasikal

Communications Manager
Has been a broadcast journalist for 7 years covering the environment and current affairs. Has started his career in Jakarta before being assigned to Washington DC and finishing his postgraduate studies in London. Currently working from Indonesia. Also speaks Indonesian.
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