Multiplatform journalist and Communication Program faculty member Annie Perez-Gallardo has been selected by the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists, with support from DW Akademie, as one of two Filipino journalists to cover the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP 29) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The global climate summit will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024.
COP 29 is a key event for world leaders, policymakers, and climate experts to discuss and negotiate global climate solutions. Perez-Gallardo’s participation will allow her to engage with international colleagues and leaders, furthering her work in science and environmental communication.
Earlier this year, Perez-Gallardo was chosen as one of ten journalists nationwide for the “Let’s Talk Climate” Philippine Fellowship. The fellowship, which focused on climate change reporting and solutions journalism, included intensive training and culminated in the production of mini-documentaries tackling local climate issues.
Perez-Gallardo’s documentary, one of the fellowship’s top projects, explored a disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction program on Caubian Island in Lapu-Lapu City, a community already facing rising sea levels. The documentary was produced in collaboration with communication alumni Zhynnon Mantos, Zildjian Regañon, and Miguel Celestial. It was first presented in English and later adapted into Filipino for broadcast on ABS-CBN’s Ronda Probinsya and Patrol ng Pilipino.
As she heads to COP 29, Perez-Gallardo aims to deepen her understanding of global climate policies and share insights from her experiences with the Philippine audience.
Watch her documentary here: