Open call: UNCCD COP17 media reporting fellowship

12 March 2026
Story
Rangelands and pastoralists

The UNCCD and the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) are launching the UNCCD COP17 Land and Drought Media Reporting Fellowship to support journalists covering one of the defining, yet underreported, stories of our time: the growing pressure on the world’s land and what it means for food and water security, economic stability and global resilience.

Six journalists will be selected to report from UNCCD COP17, which will convene in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 17-28 August, 2026 to advance solutions for restoring land, strengthening drought resilience and safeguarding the ecosystems that sustain livelihoods around the world.

About UNCCD COP17

The only binding international treaty addressing land degradation and drought and one of the three Rio Conventions – together with biodiversity and climate – UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to advance sustainable land stewardship to provide food, water and economic opportunity to all people.

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (UNCCD COP17) is expected to bring together delegates from the Convention’s 197 Parties, alongside leaders from government, business, civil society, scientists, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to address the global loss of fertile lands and the intensification of droughts. These efforts are grounded in a simple recognition: restoring land and strengthening drought resilience is essential to protect societies and economies, reducing instability and preventing forced displacement in vulnerable regions.

About the fellowship

From food prices and water shortages to migration pressures and energy disruptions, many of today’s most urgent global challenges are rooted in how we manage our land. Yet the scale of the crisis often goes unnoticed: every second, the world loses the equivalent of four football fields of fertile soil, while drought could affect three in four people globally by 2050. Because these crises unfold slowly, they rarely command sustained media attention despite their systemic, long-term impacts.

The UNCCD COP17 Land and Drought Media Reporting Fellowship aims to help bridge this gap by enabling journalists to report directly from the conference and the field, engage with leading experts and communities, and explore the solutions shaping a more resilient future.

Beyond covering negotiations, fellows will be encouraged to tell stories that highlight practical responses – from ecosystem restoration to drought preparedness – that are already making a difference.

COP17 will coincide with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 and highlight their role in global food security, sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity conservation and climate action.

The fellowship will cover:

Access to UNCCD experts, including pre-COP virtual briefings to deepen the understanding of the key issues related to COP17
Support for COP17 participation, including a return economy-class travel to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, accommodation during COP17 (21–28 August 2026) and COP17 media accreditation
A field visit in Mongolia with opportunities to engage with local communities

Who should apply

The fellowship is open to professional journalists (staff or freelance) with a strong track record of reporting on environment, climate, agriculture, development, food systems, business, or related issues.

Applicants should:

Work with a recognized media outlet
Be based in countries affected by desertification, land degradation and drought
Demonstrate an interest in reporting on the intersection between environmental change and social and economic dynamics
Applicants should demonstrate a strong command of English, enabling them to follow COP17 briefings, events and expert discussions

Selected fellows will represent different regions and languages, including the six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish).

Selected fellows will:

Participate in pre-COP virtual briefings with experts
Attend and report from UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar
Produce  independent journalistic coverage connected to the themes of the fellowship

All fellows retain full editorial independence and journalistic integrity.

Fellows will publish at least three stories, including:

One story ahead of COP17
One story during COP17
One story after COP17, connecting the global conversation on land and drought to their local realities

At least one story should highlight solutions linked to drought resilience and sustainable land management or land restoration.

Applicants must submit:

Three samples of relevant published work
A letter from an editor confirming intent to publish COP17-related coverage
A short proposal outlining three potential stories, including one ahead of COP17
Information about the media outlet’s reach, including audience size and geographic scope
CV or resume

Timeline: