Climate Collaboration Challenge
The Asia chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA-Asia), Temasek Foundation and climateXchange have launched of the Climate Collaboration Challenge Asia, a cross-border collaborative journalism program that brings together newsrooms across Southeast Asia to produce sustainable, high-quality climate reporting.
The Climate Collaboration Challenge Asia is an initiative open to all newsrooms across Southeast Asia, culminating in the award of a grant of up to USD 15,000 to support a collaborative, cross-border reporting project on a climate-related issue. It will take place in Bangkok at AAJA-Asia’s New.Now.Next Media Conference 2026 (N3Con 2026), from 21-23 May.
The Climate Collaboration Challenge Asia aims to:
– Build trust and collaboration between the philanthropic sector, news organizations, and key stakeholders in the fight against climate change.
– Foster cross-border collaborative climate reporting among Southeast Asian newsrooms across all media platforms — print, radio, broadcast, online, social and digital-first outlets.
. Empower local newsrooms to reimagine climate coverage in ways that produce tangible benefits for the communities they serve.
HOW IT WORKS
Up to 15 senior editors will be selected to take part in the program. Participants will join a virtual session on 6 May to share their story ideas with one another, identify shared interests, and begin forming teams comprising three to four newsrooms. They will attend in person from 21 May at N3Con in Bangkok for a series of roundtables, workshops, and conference sessions.
Participants will pitch collaborative cross-border project proposals on 22 May before a judging panel of senior news professionals. One winning team selected by the judging panel will receive a grant of up to $15,000 USD. The winning team will then develop and publish its collaborative story by the end of 2026, with impact and editorial mentorship from climateXchange to help ensure climate culture resonance and lasting community impact.
News media from all platforms (print, online, TV, radio) from any Southeast Asia country are warmly welcome to participate.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until 17 April.
Find out more about the program here.
For inquiries, please write to asia@aaja.org