Moving to clean energy is key to combating climate change. Such shifts must be just and inclusive, creating decent opportunities and leaving no one behind.

However, there is a very little understanding of what just transition means despite it being a vital component of climate action and sustainable development.

To help mainstream the concept, Climate Tracker Asia is working with journalists from the Philippines and Indonesia to produce local stories about just energy transition in their communities.

Let’s meet the fellows of Collaborative Grants on Just and Sustainable Energy Transition, which is supported by Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung!

Jaira Mae Mondez, 24

Jaira was born and raised in the Island Garden City of Samar, the largest resort city in the Philippines. She is currently working as a news writer and producer in a government-owned media company.

Jaira likes listening to rap tracks and makes lyrics and poems out of these songs.

  • It is important to have journalists who are equipped and knowledgeable enough to tackle and critically analyze [climate change] issues and simplify them as they will inform the common people.

    – Jaira Mae Mondez

Rafael Alis, 33

Rafael is immersed in video editing and still learning to do animation graphics. He likes playing basketball, jogging, and traveling using his motorcycle.

  • Climate journalism helps avoid misinformation about climate terminologies and ideas to the public.

    – Rafael Alis

Sherani Soraya Putri, 21

Sherani is an intern journalist in Bandung, Indonesia who wants to know more about environmental issues. She believes that writing is a good start to make the world liveable.

  • Climate journalism is urgently needed to continue to monitor and provide recommendations for improvements to the already devastated environment.

    – Sherani Soraya Putri

Virliya Putricantika, 22

Virliya is a photographer who is interested in talking about social conditions, especially social change issues, gender, and human rights.

  • Through [this] climate journalism [fellowship], I think it can be the beginning of our role as journalists regarding climate change that is happening, and that doesn’t just happen in the area where I live, in Bandung City, but also in other areas.

    – Virliya Putricantika

Susan Claire Agbayani, 59

Susan Claire is a writer, editor, publicist, mentor and online vendor. She juggles writing about music, film, art and culture with publications, and writing/editing for IO-funded GO-projects managed by NGOs with selling of food or products that are either indigenous, sustainable, organic, natural, gluten free/sugar-free/vegan/keto.

She received several fellowships organized by World Health Organization and VERA Files, Earth Journalism Network, and Ashoka Southeast Asia.

  • I believe that the role I play in the climate movement is to seek as many sources as possible, disseminate information I gather, and make environmental issues accessible to a wider network of people (from different walks of life) anywhere in the world.

    – Susan Claire Agbayani

Aurelia Gracia, 23

Aurelia is a Jakarta-based journalist at Magdalene. They cover lifestyle and pop culture, and look into public policies through a gender lens. Through their writings, Aurelia believes they have the power to make an impact on society.

Recently, they found the key to keeping them sane, which is spending time with their close friends and fangirling over Harry Styles.

  • Though climate change is taking place before our eyes, many of us aren’t aware of why environmental protection matters. As journalists, we’re responsible to make these issues seen and intelligible through our stories.

    – Aurelia Gracia

Vania Evan, 24

Vania is a Jakarta-based freelance journalist whose work covers quite a handful of things, including but not limited to lifestyle, women empowerment, and the environment. Her writings have appeared in VICE Indonesia, The Jakarta Post, and Magdalene.

In her free time when she’s not writing, she can be found snuggled up to feel-good movies or on her mat trying to nail yoga poses.

  • Climate change sounds like a far-fetched notion that we think we are not accountable for or unable to tackle due to its complexities. This is where climate journalism can raise the importance of the matter, making the information easier to chew for the general public to further inspire actionable steps collectively.

    – Vania Evan

Rhaydz Barcia, 58

Rhaydz Barcia is the first and lone female photojournalist in the Bicol region, the Philippines’ laboratory of disasters. She regularly reports about environment and climate change, disasters, and political and social issues.

Rhaydz currently works as a correspondent for Rappler as well as Manila Times, the oldest newspaper in the Philippines. She is also a stringer for Reuters, Rapid News PH and other news outlets. She is a journalism fellow of the United Nations University in Tokyo Japan, United Nations Foundation, UN-WIPO, SEAPA/UNEP; Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)

  • Documenting powerful photographs from the grounds and re-echoing the narratives of the people from the grassroots through my lens are crucial role to play and are powerful weapons to counter the massive disinfodemic for climate change deniers across the globe, specifically for world leaders in developed and developing countries who lack of political will to act to lessen the carbon footprints.

    – Rhaydz Barcia

Gerardo C. Reyes Jr., 42

Geri has been in the field of journalism for over a decade. He is engaged in activities and projects related to agroforestry, food security, watershed management, disaster risk reduction and management, and community organizing.

Geri grew up in the province of Leyte in Eastern Visayas. Due to the harsh realities caused by climate change, he left Leyte and relocated to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, which is considered as the Philippines’ last ecological frontier

  • My key role in the climate movement is to effectively communicate to the public and stakeholders the importance of protection, conservation, rehabilitation and management of our natural environment, forests, mangroves, coastal areas and other important habitats of wildlife, etc.

    – Gerardo C. Reyes Jr.

Ritchel Caabay, 36

Born in Roxas, Palawan but raised in Metro Manila, Ritchel loves to cook and plant ornamentals. She assists reporters and writers in their tasks.

  • Climate journalism is important to enlighten people and give them correct information about the threats and perils of human activities that result in climate change.

    – Ritchel Caabay

Bukbisj Candra Ismeth Bey, 30

Bubkis is a freelance photojournalist and documentary maker based in West Java.

  • Climate journalism is one of the ways to spread the urgency of climate change, in the hope that the general public and policy makers are made aware.

    – Bukbisj Candra Ismeth Bey

Mega, 38

Mega is 58 percent introvert, 42 percent extrovert. She is in love with food.

  • Stories from data and facts that are packaged in an interesting and easy-to-understand way can make people more interested in making a movement towards change.

    – Mega

Irine Octavianti Kusuma Wardhanie, 35

Irine is a field producer for CNN Indonesia. As a journalist, she wants to show the truth and make people believe that climate change is real.

  • Keep telling the story that we are now in danger, and keep criticizing the government with its policy that denies the climate crisis.

    – Irine Octavianti Kusuma Wardhanie

Arif Yunan Pratama, 31

Yunan is a photojournalist with CNN Indonesia. He previously worked as a cameraman for Trans7 TV covering environmental issues.

  • I often use audio visuals to voice climate change [issues].

    – Arif Yunan Pratama

Romeo Lo Subaldo Jr., 39

Romeo is a journalist and content creator who promotes establishments that do not use plastic in their daily operations and sustainable local tourism

  • As a disaster correspondent, I am a living witness of how disasters have worsened throughout the years. In my country the Philippines, every year we count the dead bodies of people affected by typhoons and it is getting worse. Something has to be done as soon as possible.

    – Romeo Lo Subaldo Jr.

Martian Earl Muyco

A former news reporter of ABS-CBN, Martian now works as a writer for Digicast Negros. He also works as an account manager.

Hartatik, 32

Hartatik is an Indonesian journalist with over a decade of experience. She is working at Suara Merdeka, the largest newspaper in Central Java that is based in Semarang City. Hartatik is in charge of the website Tanahair.net on topics of energy and climate change.

She has an interest in covering energy, environmental issues, LGBT, biodiversity, agriculture and biodiversity.

  • Journalists are the key to successful understanding of climate change, which is unavoidable. Through journalistic reporting, the public is expected to be able to adapt and mitigate the current climate change conditions.

    - Hartatik

Er Maya

Maya works as an editor at Suara Merdeka.

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