For the third time, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue, in partnership with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC, is looking for a select number of journalists reporting on climate disinformation. Apply now if you have research ideas on the threat of growing climate denialism, the relation between big tech and climate obstruction, the climate counter-disinformation community or similar topics. The application deadline is Tuesday 9 September 2025, 23:59 CEST.
Background
Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges of our time. But we can’t address it if falsehoods continue to spread unchecked and access to trustworthy content and data on climate change is actively being removed. Climate disinformation does not spread in neat, contained silos. It’s part of a larger, interconnected web of false narratives: from anti-science rhetoric to attacks on democratic institutions that feed off one another and evolve quickly. That’s why we need to work across sectors, platforms, and borders. We must understand how these disinformation networks operate and push back against them together.
To help with this task, the climate disinformation media fellows will conduct research and storytelling on specific cases of online climate disinformation, running from mid September to the beginning of December 2025.
WHAT WE OFFER
- A research fellowship stipend of € 2000 (gross)
- Full ownership of your work — you retain the right to publish elsewhere; however, the final output must be released under a CC-BY license
- Publication and visibility through our websites and social media channels
- An expert-led training opportunity with the other fellows to support your professional development (early October)
- A networking event in Brussels with fellow researchers (travel and accommodation covered, mid October)
- Editorial support to help refine and elevate your work
WHO CAN APPLY
Applicants should meet the following criteria:
- Reside in an EU Member State, an EFTA country (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland), a candidate country, or a former EU Member State
- Demonstrate a clear interest in the issue of climate disinformation
- Have a strong track record of publishing on topics related to climate and/or democracy
- Show a commitment to completing the research within the fellowship timeline and to delivering at least one journalistic piece
WHAT'S EXPECTED DURING THE FELLOWSHIP
(mid September – beginning of December 2025)
Fellows are expected to:
- Produce at least one final output, such as a journalistic article, audio or video feature, research report, or similar piece by the end of the fellowship (an English-language summary shall be submitted if the full work is not in English)
- Submit a publication plan outlining the timeline, platform(s) / media outlets, and intended audience for their work
- Engage actively on social media, documenting their research journey and promoting their work in coordination with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue, using platforms such as X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Mastodon, and LinkedIn
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Applications should include the following materials:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Please use the standard EU format, max. 2 pages in PDF. Do not include a photo, date of birth, religion, or marital status. - Pitch document (1 page PDF)
Outline the following:- Your qualifications and relevant experience
- Your story proposal(s): What case(s) do you plan to investigate? Why are they relevant? What insights could they provide for countering climate disinformation?
- Work samples
Submit two samples of previous work, either as PDFs or links. If the original language is not English, please include a brief English summary of each piece.
For any questions, please contact Zora Siebert.
Submit your complete application withe the subject “Climate Disinformation Media Fellowship 2025” via email to: Zora.Siebert@eu.boell.org
Check out the work of former climate disinformation media fellows.
