DEADLINE: Thomas Lovejoy Memorial Press Fellowship

The United Nations Foundation's Thomas Lovejoy Memorial Press Fellowship will bring a group of journalists to the heart of the Amazon to explore issues of biodiversity, deforestation, and sustainable development. The trip will take place the week of October 17, 2022 against the backdrop of a national election to determine Brazil’s next president, just three weeks ahead of COP27, and two months before the Biodiversity COP in December.

The Fellowship is named after the late Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, the renowned ecologist and Senior Fellow for the UN Foundation who first popularized the term “biodiversity.” Ten journalists will travel to Manaus, Brazil before spending three days at the remote research station in the Amazon, known as Camp 41, where they will have the opportunity to take guided tours of the world’s largest rainforest.

The Amazon rainforest is one of just five mega-forests left on the planet. Protecting and preserving this natural resource is crucial to safeguarding biodiversity, indigenous culture, and a stable global climate. Brazil holds roughly one-third of the world’s remaining rainforests, including a majority of the Amazon. As a result, it is the most biodiverse country on the planet, containing some 56,000 species of plants, 1,700 species of birds, 695 amphibians, 578 mammals, and 651 reptiles.

Yet deforestation in Brazil broke a new record in April, prompting renewed calls from scientists, activists, and indigenous communities alike to defend this unique ecosystem. Destroying the Amazon’s intact rainforest will not only release massive amounts of carbon into the air, but it could also represent a terrifying tipping point in our global ecosystem. When a biologically rich and diverse forest becomes too fragmented, it degrades into a tropical savannah – a process that is irreversible. As Dr. Lovejoy co-wrote in his final book, “Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet, “If we lose too many trees, everything changes.”

Eligibility & Application Requirements

This press fellowship is intended for journalists interested in covering climate change, sustainable development, biological science, and environmental issues, including biodiversity, deforestation, agriculture, nature-based climate solutions, and land use.

Journalists from all countries are welcome to apply. Participating journalists will be expected to publish between two to four stories on the topics covered within six months of the fellowship’s conclusion.

Participants’ roundtrip airfare, visa fees, accommodations, and local travel in Brazil will be covered, along with most meals. Other expenses incurred during the trip may be eligible for reimbursement. Funding for this press fellowship was made possible by a grant from the McGovern Foundation.

Click here to apply.

The application deadline is 11:59PM EST on Friday, August 5, 2022. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. For more information, please contact Megan Rabbitt (mrabbitt@unfoundation.org) or MJ Altman (maltman@unfoundation.org).