Open Call on Zero Waste, Waste Management and Climate Action for Day Laborers

Climate Tracker is offering a training and reporting programme for journalists in Latin America to strengthen reporting on zero waste, waste management, climate change, circular economy, public policy, and environmental justice. Forty journalists will receive expert-led online training, after which four participants will be selected for editorial mentorship and up to US$800 in reporting support to produce in-depth stories on zero waste and climate action.

About the Climate Tracker Training and Reporting Grant

The Climate Tracker Training and Reporting Grant is designed to help journalists develop specialized knowledge and practical reporting skills around zero waste strategies and climate action.

The programme connects waste management with broader environmental and social issues, including climate change, public policy, environmental justice, and the circular economy.

The initiative combines:

What Does the Programme Support?

The programme focuses on strengthening journalism that examines how waste management can contribute to climate solutions.

Participants will explore topics such as:

• Zero waste strategies.
• Waste reduction and management.
• Climate change.
• Circular economy.
• Environmental justice.
• Public policy.
• Sustainable development.
• Innovative approaches to waste management.
• The social and environmental impacts of waste.

The programme is particularly relevant to journalists who want to expand their environmental and climate reporting.

How the Programme Works

The initiative is divided into two main stages.

Stage 1: Virtual Journalist Training

A total of 40 journalists from Latin America will be selected for the training phase.

Participants will attend online workshops led by regional experts. The sessions will provide knowledge about zero waste and its connections with climate policy and environmental justice.

The training is intended to give journalists practical tools that they can use when researching, investigating, and reporting on waste-related issues.

Stage 2: Reporting Proposal and Mentorship

After completing the training, participants can submit a proposed reporting project.

From the participants, four journalists will be selected to receive:

• Editorial mentorship.
• Financial support.
• Guidance to develop an in-depth story.
• Support for approved travel and fieldwork.

The completed reports will be published through Climate Tracker América Latina’s channels and may also be published by the journalists’ own media organizations.

Funding Amount

Four selected journalists can receive up to US$800 each for their reporting projects.

The funding is structured as follows:

• US$500: Honorarium for the completed final report.
• Up to US$300: Possible additional support for approved travel and fieldwork expenses.

The additional US$300 is not automatic and is subject to approval.

The financial support is provided during the reporting phase rather than as a general grant for all 40 training participants.

Who Is Eligible?

The programme is open to journalists and communicators who meet the eligibility requirements.

Applicants must:

• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Reside in a Latin American country.
• Have journalistic or reporting experience.
• Demonstrate an interest in climate and waste-related reporting.

Eligible applicants can include:

• Freelance journalists.
• Journalists working for media organizations.
• Journalism students with demonstrated publishing experience.
• Professional communicators with a journalism track record.
• Other eligible media professionals with relevant reporting experience.

Applicants do not need previous experience specifically covering zero waste.

What Topics Should Applicants Be Interested In?

Applicants should demonstrate an interest in developing reporting around one or more relevant areas.

These can include:

• Climate change.
• Waste management.
• Zero waste.
• Circular economy.
• Environmental justice.
• Public policy.
• Sustainable development.
• Climate solutions.
• Environmental impacts of waste.

A strong application should demonstrate why the applicant wants to deepen their reporting in these areas.

Why Is This Programme Important?

Waste management is closely connected to climate change, public health, environmental justice, and sustainable development.

Journalists play an important role in explaining these connections to the public and examining whether governments, businesses, and communities are implementing effective solutions.

The programme helps journalists:

• Develop specialized knowledge.
• Improve environmental reporting skills.
• Understand zero waste policies.
• Investigate climate-related waste issues.
• Connect waste management with environmental justice.
• Develop stronger story proposals.
• Receive professional editorial guidance.
• Produce evidence-based journalism.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare the required materials before completing the online application.

Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility

Make sure you are at least 18 years old, live in Latin America, and have relevant journalism or reporting experience.

Step 2: Prepare Your CV

Applicants must submit a CV demonstrating their professional, academic, or reporting background.

Include relevant:

• Journalism experience.
• Published work.
• Media affiliations.
• Environmental or climate reporting experience.
• Communication experience.

Previous zero-waste reporting is not required.

Step 3: Write Your Statement of Interest

Applicants must provide a statement of interest of up to 300 words.

The statement should explain:

• Why you want to participate.
• Why zero waste and climate reporting interests you.
• What you hope to learn.
• How the programme could strengthen your journalism.

Step 4: Develop a Preliminary Story Idea

Applicants must submit an initial story proposal related to zero waste.

The idea should identify a meaningful issue that could be investigated and reported from a climate perspective.

A strong story idea should be:

• Specific.
• Relevant to the applicant’s local context.
• Connected to zero waste or waste management.
• Linked to climate action or environmental issues.
• Suitable for journalistic investigation.

Step 5: Submit the Online Application

Submit the application through the designated online form with the required materials.

Applications are assessed based on the applicant’s motivation, interest in strengthening waste and climate coverage, and the diversity of applicants’ backgrounds and contexts.

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants can improve their applications by demonstrating a clear connection between their journalistic experience and the programme’s objectives.

Consider the following tips:

• Present a specific rather than overly broad story idea.
• Explain the local relevance of the proposed topic.
• Connect waste management with climate change or environmental justice.
• Highlight previous published journalism.
• Clearly explain why the training would improve your reporting.
• Keep the statement of interest focused and within the 300-word limit.
• Show curiosity about public policy and practical solutions.
• Avoid presenting zero waste simply as a recycling issue; consider its wider environmental and social dimensions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Submitting a story idea unrelated to zero waste.
• Providing an overly general climate story without a waste connection.
• Exceeding the 300-word statement limit.
• Failing to demonstrate journalism experience where required.
• Providing an unclear explanation of their motivation.
• Treating the US$800 as guaranteed funding for every participant.
• Assuming previous zero-waste reporting experience is mandatory.

Only four journalists will receive the reporting-stage financial support after the training.

Key Facts

• Programme: Climate Tracker Training and Reporting Grant.
• Focus: Zero waste and climate action journalism.
• Region: Latin America.
• Training participants: 40 journalists.
• Training format: Online workshops.
• Reporting-stage selections: 4 journalists.
• Report honorarium: US$500.
• Potential travel/fieldwork support: Up to US$300.
• Maximum reporting support: US$800.
• Minimum age: 18.
• Previous zero-waste experience: Not required.
• Required application materials: CV, statement of interest, and preliminary zero-waste story idea.
• Statement length: Maximum 300 words.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Climate Tracker Training and Reporting Grant?

It is a journalist development programme that provides online training on zero waste, climate action, environmental justice, circular economy, and related issues, followed by an opportunity for selected participants to receive editorial mentorship and reporting support.

How many journalists will receive training?

Forty journalists from Latin America will participate in the virtual training programme.

How many journalists will receive financial reporting support?

Four participants will be selected after the training to develop in-depth reporting projects with editorial mentorship and financial support.

How much funding can selected journalists receive?

Each selected journalist can receive up to US$800, consisting of a US$500 report honorarium and potentially up to US$300 for approved travel and fieldwork expenses.

Do applicants need previous experience reporting on zero waste?

No. Previous zero-waste reporting experience is not required. Applicants should demonstrate an interest in expanding their journalism on waste management, climate change, public policy, circular economy, or environmental justice.

What documents are required to apply?

Applicants must submit a CV, a statement of interest of no more than 300 words, and a preliminary story idea related to zero waste through the online application form.

Who can apply?

Journalists aged 18 or older who reside in Latin America can apply. This includes freelancers, media professionals, journalism students with proven reporting experience, and communicators with relevant journalism backgrounds.

Conclusion

The Climate Tracker Training and Reporting Grant provides an opportunity for Latin American journalists to strengthen their expertise in zero waste journalism and climate reporting. While 40 participants will receive specialized online training, four will have the opportunity to develop in-depth stories with editorial mentorship and up to US$800 in reporting support. Applicants should focus on a strong, locally relevant zero-waste story idea and clearly demonstrate their motivation to connect waste management with climate action, public policy, circular economy, and environmental justice.