Earth Journalism Network Biodiversity Fellowship 2026 — UN CBD COP17

What this is

The Earth Journalism Network funds journalists to report from major environmental summits. This fellowship covers the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, the meeting where parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity negotiate global targets.

Fellows report from inside the conference over its two weeks, with editorial support from EJN.

Who it is for

Professional journalists from low- or middle-income countries with prior experience reporting on biodiversity. Freelancers are eligible, and any medium counts — online, print, television or radio.

Two conditions are worth reading closely:

• Previous attendance at a biodiversity COP disqualifies you. The fellowship exists to widen the pool of reporters covering these negotiations, not to fund the same people repeatedly.
• Undisclosed AI-generated content disqualifies applicants. Disclosure is the operative word — the rule is about transparency, not a blanket ban.

You must be available for the full window, 17-31 October 2026.

What is covered

Airfare, accommodation and meals, travel medical insurance, local transport, visa reimbursement and logistical support on the ground.

Applying

Applications close 29 June 2026, roughly four months ahead. Apply through the Earth Journalism Network using the official link.

Two rules that disqualify people

Read these before anything else, because both are absolute:

Previous attendance at a biodiversity COP disqualifies you. The fellowship exists to widen the pool of journalists covering these negotiations. If you have been to a CBD COP before, you are outside its purpose — however strong your reporting.

Undisclosed AI-generated content disqualifies applicants. The operative word is undisclosed. The rule is about transparency in your submitted work, not a prohibition on tools.

Who this is genuinely aimed at

Professional journalists from low- or middle-income countries with prior biodiversity reporting experience. Freelancers are explicitly eligible, and any medium counts — online, print, television or radio.

The income-level condition is central rather than incidental: EJN's programmes exist to get reporters from affected countries into rooms where decisions about those countries are made.

The time commitment

You must be available 17-31 October 2026 — slightly wider than the conference itself, to allow for travel either side. COP sessions run long and unpredictably; this is a demanding fortnight, not a conference visit.

What is covered

Airfare, accommodation and meals, travel medical insurance, local transport, visa reimbursement and logistical support on the ground. Armenia's visa regime is straightforward for many nationalities, and EJN supports the process.

Applying

Applications close 29 June 2026. Editorial support from EJN during the fellowship is part of what makes it valuable — approach it as a commission.