Policy makers and environmental groups worldwide are scrambling to prepare for the adoption of a new international climate agreement at the Paris 2015 climate summit in December. However, the very specific language of the UN negotiations and the technical complexity of climate science are not readily understood by the average citizen. The nine-day training course, organized by Ecologic Institute, will include instructive training workshops on a diverse array of topics such as: "The Science of Climate Change" and "UNFCCC: How does a COP work?" All courses are designed to meet the professional needs of journalists and led by a team of experts in climate science and policy, with explicit opportunities (and time in the schedule) to report home from Berlin.

The project aims at improving climate change relevant media coverage in the lead up to Paris 2015 and will be organized around the high-level international meeting "Petersberg Climate Dialogue" in Berlin, offering participants the opportunity to attend the event as accredited press as well as the chance to meet and interview climate experts and Ministers during the Dialogue proceedings (Berlin 17/18th May).

The project is funded by the Federal Foreign Office.

Articles of journalists involved:

• Marcelo Leite (Brazil): Para Entender o Universo. [pdf, 3.3 MB, Portuguese] (Folha De S.Paulo, 31 May 2015)
• Kanzli Mideh (Ivory Coast): Major Concerns For Paris Agreement in Petersburg Climate Dialogue. (PAMACC News, 21 May 2015)
• Marcelo Leite (Brazil): Alemanha promete € 4 bilhões anuais em ajuda para salvar o clima. (Folha De S.Paulo, 20 May 2015)
• Alexis Romero (the Philippines): Phl seeks more funding aid for climate change projects. (The Philippine Star, 20 May 2015)
• Chetan Chauhan (India): Javadekar raises concern on feasibility of carbon market mechanism. (Hindustan Times, 19 May 2015)
• Chetan Chauhan (India): India asks developed nations at climate talks to finalise pre-2020 action plan. (Hindustan Times, 19 May 2015)
• Igor Ermachenkov (Russia): Донской: РФ готова снизить выбросы парниковых газов на 30% к 2030 году. Russia is ready to cut emissions of greenhouse gas up to 30% to 2030. (МИА «Россия сегодня», 19 May 2015)
• Igor Ermachenkov (Russia): Меркель: новое соглашение по климату может снизить выброс СО2 на 60%. Merkel: new Paris climate treaty could cut the CO2 emissions up to 60% (МИА «Россия сегодня», 19 May 2015)
• Igor Ermachenkov (Russia): Олланд: соглашение по климату обсудят на саммитах "двадцатки" и G7. Hollande: the new climate treaty will be a topic of G7 and G20 (МИА «Россия сегодня», 19 May 2015)
• Igor Ermachenkov (Russia): Крэмер: газ из США не пойдет в ЕС, пока Россия выполняет обязательства. Kraemer: US-Shale gas doesn't come to EU untill Russia fulfills gas contract (МИА «Россия сегодня», 19 May 2015)
• Peter Labeja (Uganda): French Minister Urges on Climate Change). (Uganda Radio Network - UNR, 19 May 2015)
• Lydia Asamoha (Ghana): Fight against climate change is a moral obligation - Germany. (Ghana News Agency, 19 May 2015)
• Marcelo Leite (Brazil): China reduz o consumo de carvão mineral sem frear a economia. (Folha De S.Paulo, 19 May 2015)
• Galton Sé (Brazil): Ministra brasileira do Meio Ambiente sai "otimista" de conferência sobre clima (Rádio França Internacional - RFI, 19 May 2015)
• Peter Labeja (Uganda): Fears over Paris climate deal heighten as Petersburg dialogue begins. (Climate Reporters, 18 May 2015)
• Igor Ermachenkov (Russia): Гаук: число стран, готовых к соглашению по климату, высоко как никогда. Gauck: the number of countries willing to agree on climate high as ever. (МИА «Россия сегодня», 18 May 2015)
• Lydia Asamoha (Ghana): Germany host 6th Petersberg Climate Dialogue. (Ghana News Agency, 18 May 2015)
• Marcelo Leite (Brazil): Reunião na Alemanha põe em dúvida acordo contra mudanças climáticas. (Folha De S.Paulo, 18 May 2015)
• Francis Lungu (Zambia): Climate change likely to slow Africa's growth. (The Post, 17 May 2015)
• Marcelo Leite (Brazil): Extrair óleo do Ártico pode ser arriscado e agravar efeito estufa. (Folha De S.Paulo, 13 May 2015)
• Jodi-Ann Gilpin (Jamaica): The heat is on ... record in global sizzle predicted for 2015. (The Gleaner, 12 May 2015)