I4C 2023: Reporting Climate Finance in a Changing World

The World Bank Group and REVOLVE joined forces to organise the Innovate4Climate Journalists Workshop 2023. This specially crafted session was held as part of the Innovate4Climate (I4C) Conference, an annual flagship event hosted by the World Bank Group covering climate finance, climate investment and carbon markets. Back in person for its seventh edition, this year’s conference took place at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre in Spain.

The workshop was designed to meet the needs of international media professionals, equipping them with the necessary expertise and tools to delve into the landscape climate finance and its implications. Over the course of a 4-hour session held on 22 May, the workshop provided participants with valuable insights and knowledge that can be directly applied in their professional endeavours. Embracing the hybrid nature of the event, some participants attended the workshop in person in Bilbao, while others joined the session remotely.

To ensure a diverse regional representation, the team conducted a call for applications targeting experienced climate change reports globally through various journalists’ networks. The campaign was successful resulting in over 300 applications across different regions. After a through selection process, 29 exceptional participants from 24 countries were chosen to be part of the workshop – notably, 60% of the selected participants were women.

The workshop offered an exciting program focused on climate finance reporting

Climate communication experts and finance and technical experts provided a comprehensive picture of the global climate financing landscape, including key topics in the global climate agenda in the run-up to COP28. Moreover, a panel discussion with seasoned journalists who shared lessons and experiences, and a presentation on data journalism and visualisation helped to enhance participants’ reporting skills.

The workshop was opened by Sudharshan Canagarajah, Practice Manager for Climate Change Strategy, Knowledge, and Outreach at the World Bank Group (WBG), who delivered opening remarks on the importance of communication and journalism in a changing world.  

The segment was followed by a technical presentation on climate finance with Martina Bosi, Senior Climate Change Specialist at the WBG. She defined climate finance as “the flow of funds from public or private sources to support climate-related projects, programmes and activities that help mitigate carbon emissions or support adaptation and resilience to climate change”. Additionally, Bosi deep dived into concepts such as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), just transition, and carbon markets, with first-hand technical insights on these complex concepts.

The workshop also brought in prominent external voices, including Peter McKillop, Founder and Editor at Climate and Capital Media. In a fireside chat moderated by Chantal Menard, the workshop’s host and moderator, Peter shared insightful and encouraging tips with the journalists in the room. “Journalism often shies away from money because we think it is difficult. But it is not. Finance is not that difficult”, Peter underlined. Interestingly, as he pointed out, journalists have a highly appreciated ability: moving across silos. “Journalists are curious, open and learn quickly, moving fast from one idea to another and then writing credibly about it”, he affirmed.

Sebastián Rodríguez, Special Projects Editor at Climate Home, Fernando Casado, CAD productions and ClimateTech Venture, and Marta Montojo Torrente, Journalist at EFE Verde, joined forces to lead an engaging panel discussion. Drawing from their extensive experience in climate journalism, they provided valuable insights on reporting about climate finance, including the challenges and barriers involved. Participants in the workshop had the opportunity to share their doubts and pose questions about reporting climate finance in their respective contexts. During this interactive session, the panellists also offered insightful and actionable advice to address the specific challenges faced by the journalists.

Building upon the technical presentations and discussions with experts, Natxo López Muro, Data Journalist at Storydata, conducted a practical session on data visualization that aimed to empower journalists to effectively tell stories using data. He provided a live demonstration of the Datawrapper tool showcasing its functionality and guiding participants on how to begin using it for their data reporting efforts.

The workshop concluded with a questions and answers (Q&A) session featuring Hania Dawood, Practice Manager, Climate Finance and Economics at the WBG. The Q&A was moderated by Ferzina Banaji, Communications Lead of Climate Change at the WBG. This interactive segment provided an opportunity for participating journalists to openly address their questions and concerns regarding climate finance and the work of the World Bank Group, benefiting from the knowledge and expertise of Ms. Dawood.

Journalists at I4C 2023

After the workshop, a delegation of in-person participants stayed in Bilbao to attend the Innovate4Climate conference (May 23-25) focusing on climate finance, carbon markets and just transition. Participants were able to engage in high-level plenaries and over 40 technical workshops, as well as explore a vibrant Marketplace showcasing climate solutions across policy, technology, markets and finance.

We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the selected participants and express our gratitude to all the applicants who showcased their dedication and passion for climate journalism. Through this comprehensive training, journalists are equipped to effectively communicate complex information, engage their audience, and shed light on critical climate finance issues in an engaging and accessible manner.

We trust the workshop has empowered participants to harness the power of journalism to make a lasting impact in tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Watch some highlights of I4C 2023 here.