The Earth is under serious threat here and now. From rising seas and heatwaves to polluted air, water and soil; from the destruction of forests and grasslands to floods and droughts, communities across the world are being asked to survive in an increasingly unstable planet. Those facing the harshest impacts are often those least responsible for the damage, making this not just an economic and environmental issue, but also a question of equity.

Recognizing this, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly brings together ministers, heads of international organizations, business leaders, civil-society advocates, Indigenous Peoples, women and youth from 186 member countries every four years to chart a path toward global environmental goals and equitable funding to deal with the destruction of our ecosystems.

The Eighth GEF Assembly, taking place from May 30-June 6 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, takes stock of the final few years before the 2030 deadline, where over 100 countries have promised to protect 30% of the land and water by 2030. Sessions will focus on five areas—biodiversity loss, chemicals and waste, climate change, international waters and land degradation—and take an integrated approach to support more sustainable food systems, forest management and cities.

Since environmental negotiations often happen in technical language behind closed doors, it is essential for the media to connect these decisions to the people they affect most. For the third time, Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is supporting journalists to cover the Assembly.

This year, five Fellows from across the world have been selected to travel to Samarkand for the Assembly. They are:

Amir Sadiq, Daily Trust (Nigeria)
Halili Habibu Letea, The Citizen (Tanzania)
Aliza Khalid, The News and Lok Sujag (Pakistan)
Phub Gyem, Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation Limited (Bhutan)
César Leonardo Giraldo Zuluaga, El Espectador (Colombia)
Fellows will be able to join sessions at the Assembly, gain access to key figures from the GEF and receive mentorship from EJN trainers.

“It is important for journalists to report on projects that will impact their countries at least over the next four years. You have a chance to do that when you report on the GEF Assembly,” said EJN’s Joydeep Gupta who will be at the Assembly as a trainer for the fellows.