Climate change is the defining story of our time, and journalists everywhere need the tools to cover with depth, accuracy, and impact. That’s why Covering Climate Now offers journalists worldwide a free, live, online training program designed to help them tell stronger climate stories across beats and borders. Welcome to the CCNow Academy!
What’s Included
The program runs from March 4 to June 17, 2026 and consists of 12 weekly training sessions and 3 community activities. Sessions take place on Wednesdays at 14:00 UTC and are delivered via Zoom.
The course is designed to cater to journalists at the low to mid levels of climate expertise. Topics range from foundational sessions on science, diplomacy, and climate justice to more specific tools to cover beats such as migration or health. We also offer a workshop on social media strategies for journalists. See the full schedule here.
Each session is live and interactive, with practical tools, exercises, examples, and time for discussion. This is not a webinar series, but a space to build skills, confidence, and community with peers from around the world.
How It Works
We’re selecting 40 participants for this edition. To complete the program, participants must:
- Attend the 3 core mandatory sessions
- Attend at least 3 of the 9 optional sessions
- Participate actively in group discussions and community activities
- Commit to showing up, engaging with peers, and sharing feedback
This structure gives you flexibility while still fostering a shared learning experience.
What You’ll Get
By the end of the program, you’ll have:
- A sharper understanding of how climate change intersects with your beat
- Tools to identify disinformation and surface real solutions
- Access to a global peer network of like-minded journalists
- Access to session recordings and curated resources
- A certificate of completion and a LinkedIn badge
- Ongoing access to all alumni and community groups and activities set up by Covering Climate Now
How to Apply
Fill out the application form by February 16, 2026. We’ll notify selected participants shortly after that date. Priority will be given to journalists who show strong interest, availability, and diversity of regions and beats.
Schedule
- March 4: Opening Session + Climate Reporting 101: The Three Pillars (Mandatory)
- March 11: Climate Science 101
- March 18: Dealing with Obstruction, Disinformation, and Greenwashing
- April 1: How to Read and Understand Climate Science Research
- April 8: Covering Climate Solutions (Mandatory)
- April 29: Covering Heat
- May 6: Climate and Health
- May 13: Covering Climate Through a Justice Lens (Mandatory)
- May 20: Social Media Strategies for Climate Journalists
- June 3: Climate Diplomacy & COP
- June 10: Tech & the Green Transition
- June 17: Covering Displacement And Migration From A Climate Angle + Closing Ceremony
Apply Now
Contact
To learn more about CCNow’s training programs, please contact our training department at training@coveringclimatenow.org.