From mass-media favorable for environment to the environmental- oriented citizens

Project number MDN061

Grant type National grant

Lead organisation Civil Society Organization „Association of Environmental journalists and Ecological Tourism in the Republic of ”

Partner organisation Civil Society Organization „Ecological Movement of Moldova”

Project background Access to environmental information, public participation and access to justice on environmental matters - set by Aarhus Convention, ratified by the R. of Moldova - may not be fully insured in terms of a superficial approach, sporadic and occasional addressing environmental issues the mass media used to resort to it. Lack of ecological subjects, topics dedicated to the phenomenon of climate change and sustainable development in mass- media does not imply absence of the respective problems and does not mean that these issues have no impact over environment and population. Aware of the fact that an uninformed society cannot be active, we decided to launch creation of a network of environmental journalists in Moldova and promote active approach to environmental issues in mass-media.

Project goal The goal of the project was to create a network of environmental journalists in Moldova, which would professionally and in an attractive way reflect all the processes of European integration of our country in environmental and sustainable developments aspects, including climate changes and energy efficiency.

Project budget The budget of the project is 15 000 Euro.

Implementation In the framework of „From mass-media favorable for environment to the environmental- oriented citizens” project the following principal activities have been realized: 1. The journalists interested in environmental issues of the R. of Moldova have been instructed; The aim of „Environmental journalism” training was to instruct the journalists in the field of environmental journalism and to encourage them to promote environmental topics (writing articles, realization of materials on TV/radio). The training of 2 days duration took place on the 17th and 18th of October 2013. 26 persons, including 23 journalists participated in the training. The participants were assisted by 2 experts from the R. of Moldova and 1 expert from Romania, which presented the specific features of environmental journalism, some modes of considering ecological subjects. The experts had brought their presentations for the journalists, from definitions to examples from

their own experience, from theory to practical exercises. The first day of the training we had the honor to invite to join us Mr. Gheorghe Shalaru, the Minister of Environment, and Mr. Victor Cotruta, the Executive Director of REC Moldova, who had come with a welcome address towards the journalists and participants. 2. A web platform was created and updated (including post-project), which hosts materials related to ecological issues, realized by the environmental journalists; Web platform www.ecopresa.md is available in three languages: Roman, English and Russian. Google Analytic data show that during the period of 18 October – 30 June 2014, ecopresa.md platform registered 4999 of sessions, with a number of 2879 of unique visitors and 13517 public disclosures of the page. During the project period a total number of 287 articles was published at RO, EN, RU pages of ecopresa.md web platform. The web platform is being permanently updated, and it has become a means of promotion of environmental NGOs and active group’s activities, various environmental events, etc. 3. There were created 3 regional groups of eco-journalists; There were established three groups of eco-journalists in the Central, Southern and Northern regions. Regional groups of eco-journalists are aimed to facilitate a better communication and a more active information and knowledge exchange among journalists, between journalists and environmental authorities; to develop common interests; to promote joint actions. Group members met in 5 thematic sessions with the participation of journalists, national and local authorities, representatives of NGOs in the field. Thematic meetings were held in Chisinau, , Balti, Leova and towns. The first meeting was held on November 4, 2013, in Baltsi. At the meeting were invited journalists of all local media outlets and those regional from the northern districts of Moldova (Briceni, Ocnitsa, Edinets, Donduseni, Rashcani, Drokhia, , , Faleshti, Sangerei, Baltsi). The meeting was organized in collaboration with the Independent Press Association and Northern Development Agency. The second meeting was held in Leova, on the 17th of March 2014. The meeting was dedicated to a specific topic identified jointly with environmental journalists from the south, and namely, the state of protected areas in Leova district. The journalists from Southern Regional Group and high-ranked local authorities from Leova took part in the event. The authorities responded to questions of journalists form „Cuvântul Liber” ("Free Word") newspaper, "Gazeta de Sud" (Southern newspaper), "Media Pro" TV, "Natura" („Nature)” magazine, Vocea Basarabiei (Voice of Bessarabia) radio post, and the pupils of "Mihai Eminescu" high school from Leova, who attended the discussion. The third meeting was held in Ungheni district, Corneşti village, on March 22, 2014, where the key actors - environmental journalists, representatives of Plaiul Fagului reservation, and teachers were present. The fourth meeting was held in Rezina, on May 16, 2014, at ADR Habitat principal office. The theme of discussion was chosen together with Center Group regional journalists, at the proposal of Mr. Tudor Iashchencko, the Director of „Cuvint” („The word”), which touches upon the problem of the air in Rezina district. The meeting was called: "Journalists and Environment protection: Between people's concerns and authorities’ optimism. Case Study: Air Pollution in Rezina". The round table was attended by journalists from the „Cuvint” newspaper, Impuls TV, Sholdaneshti, Elita TV, Rezina, Vocea basarabiei, Natura Magazine, local authorities (Mayor of Rezina town, a physician from the Center of Preventive Medicine in Rezina, local councilors) and population representatives. The fifth meeting was held in Chisinau on 19 May 2014, right in the Ministry of Environment, with the participation of the Minister of Environment, Gheorghe Shalaru. The meeting was organized by the initiative of the Ministry of Environment and invitation of Ministry of Environment to meet with environmental journalists namely.

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4. The process of creation and maintenance of 5 green columns at least at 5 publications was launched; To achieve this objective during the project implementation, the project team has been constantly keeping in touch with the editors (telephone conversation, communications within a number of meetings organized by the authorities, the Independent Press Association meetings, the Environmental NGO Forum) in order to identify and promote environmental topics, to initiate and maintain environmental columns. We have focused on working with the media institutions which attended the training. But we did not limit ourselves to them only. Thus, 8 publications: "Cuvintul liber", "Timpul", "Expresul", "Gazeta de Sud", "Adevarul", "Cuvintul", "Obsrvatorul de nord", "Courierul de Hancesti" have created green columns. Unfortunately, however, there is no room for the column in newspapers, it is not placed at the same site every time, it has not got the same name – it can be either ecology, or the environment, or actualities of the environment, or the environment word, etc.), which demonstrate the need for continued work with the editors to establish a tradition. To make the activity sustainable, there was initiated a procedure of signing a Cooperation Agreement with the Independent Press Association, whose members are about 17 media outlets in Moldova. 5. There was organized the first part of the Contest for journalists who touch upon environmental issues and 11 journalists from the R. of Moldova have been awarded; According to the rules, only printed and online press journalists, who managed to realize press material addressing such environmental issues, as sustainable development; biodiversity conservation; climate change, energy efficiency; renewable sources of energy, in the period of October 18, 2013-April 15, 2014, could participate in the "Environmental Journalism Awards". Totally 43 articles, signed by 16 journalists, were submitted for the contest. Members of the jury were experienced journalists from EJETAM, and other journalists. They were: Ina Grejdeanu, Centre for Independent Journalism; George Budeanu, a journalist; Ionel capitata, a journalist, the President of EJETAM, Alexandru Savulescu, an environmental journalist from Bucharest, Romania. Thus, according to the judging, 12 printed and online journalists were awarded. The awards ceremony was held on May 19, 2014, being included in Press Freedom Day events in Moldova. To congratulate the journalists and organizers, the event was attended by Environment Minister George Shalaru, Alecu Renita, the President of Ecological Movement of Moldova and other colleagues of the field. 6. There has been realized a research regarding the reflection on environmental issues in printed press of the R. of Moldova Evaluation study, called "The press in perspective of environment topic" was a very useful and necessary exercise, taking into account that such kind of research work had not been realized before, except for scientific field (yearly essay, Master or Doctor Thesis). We stated, that periodical and regular assessment of mass-media (newspapers, along with radio, TV, online), would bring visible results over time and, first of all, a more responsible approach from the press towards environmental topics. The analysis of those 11 publications in Moldova resulted in the conclusion that a there is a need to continue encouraging "Ecology" column publications, comprising all environmental materials into the column. Thus, the practice once launched by EJETAM team in the framework of the project, supported by SECTOR, needs to be continued, to create a habitual of placing environmental materials. It is also recommended that the institutions responsible for the environment, together with profile non-governmental organizations, foreign donors, would identify the ways to strengthen environmental journalism in Moldova (round tables, workshops, trainings) and to continue encouraging journalists and press institutions, so that they could professionally address the topics of environmental protection.

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7. Coverage of the activities held within the project. During project implementation, for the purpose of covering the activities and ensuring project visibility, there were placed a series of articles, information, photos at www.ecopresa.md platform and social media, including the data related to the aim and project activities, the name of the project, the donor. There were created and maintained pages in Facebook and Twitter social media. The activities held within the projects were covered on „Vocea Basarabiei”, the events organized by EJETAM were broadcasted by TV Cimişlia, Gazeta de Sud, Cuvântul Liber, Cuvântul, Adevărul, at the pages of „Natura” magazine, as well as on site of Ministry of Environment, Independent Press Association, Independent Journalism Center, and Journalistic Investigation Center – in total 37 articles.

Target groups and beneficiaries The target groups were journalists from the R. of Moldova, but stakeholders were authorities of environment, which need to facilitate their dialogue with journalists, from whom they expect a certain competence and awareness of environmental problems. The stake holders were also presented by local public authorities, who need journalists’ support in communication with the population regarding environmental problems which they confront with and facilitating their interaction.

Achievements The achievements of the projects are as follows: 26 journalists instructed; 3 regional groups of eco-journalists created; 5 thematic meeting of eco-journalists groups conducted; 1 list of environmental issues for journalists made; green columns at least at 5 publications initiated; 12 awarded journalists for their environmental materials; 1 web platform of environmental journalists - www.ecopresa.net created; 1 data base of journalists who raise ecological subjects compiled; 1 research work made regarding reflection on environmental topics in mass-media of the R. of Moldova; coverage of project activities in printed press, TV, radio and online (3 radio broadcasts, 31 web articles, 8 printed articles). The results of the project have contributed to achieving two major goals: I. Trained journalists and qualitative mass-media products in the field of environment protection, sustainable development, energy efficiency, etc. II. Informed and active population in the field of environment. Through training of journalists, organization of meetings for eco-journalists and authorities, creation and maintenance of web platform, ecological columns, organization of the first part of the Contest for environmental journalism, activities coverage, the quality of environmental information offered to public is being constantly improved. The access to environmental information is also improved and participation of population in the process of making decisions on environmental issues is being promoted. Trained journalists and those using information from www.ecopresa.md platform are more competent and interested in permanent touch of environmental issues. This aspect inevitably involves environmental authorities too, who are involved into an ongoing dialogue with journalists in order to discuss and reveal the problems for a better environmental awareness of population and other authorities. All the materials created within the project remain available at ecopresa.md. To provide continuity of activities, EJETAM has signed a Partnership agreement with Independent Press Association, offering us the necessary staff, so that after the project is over we could continue our activities and the dialogue with the journalists and editors for the purpose of correct approach towards environmental problems to get the dialogue with the environment authorities arranged.

Opportunities for actions and sustainable results 4

We strongly rely on EJETAM supporting the activities in the domain of development and consolidation of environmental journalism in the R. of Moldova – organization of new trainings, workshops, round tables for journalists, experience exchange. To consolidate the achievements of the project we also consider it opportune to obtain further support in www.ecopresa.md. web platform maintenance and refinement. In the framework of the project we have organized the first part of award ceremony for environmental journalists, but we wish this has turned into a tradition, and in this context we would like to obtain much support after the project is finished, too, i.e. encouraging journalists writing on ecological topics through organizing the following sessions of the Contest for environmental journalists. Further on, EJETAM team will keep the initiated collaboration with a series of journalists and editors, and we hope to beneficiate of support in monitoring the environment issues reflection in mass-media.

Comments - During the project we have realized that the journalists from the R. of Moldova are willing to consolidate their knowledge in the environment field. The authorities would like to improve communication between the journalists specialized in reflection of environmental problems as well. Certainly, it is a field which needs to be developed in the R. of Moldova, it is necessary to keep further dialogue between the journalists and environment responsible persons from public authorities, between the journalists and environmental non-governmental society, between the journalists and population. - We have also learned that in order to succeed in our applications, to write effective materials we should know the field inside out. And this thing comes not only with experience, but due to qualitative trainings too. - We have stated that the press from the R. of Moldova more and more is aimed to touch upon environmental theme, but for the fact that it gives the priority to short materials, based on reports, often without inquiring the theme. Our discussions with the journalists helped us to understand that it happens due to lack of programs, possibilities to consolidate the knowledge in the field of the environmental journalism. - Owing to the project supported by SECTOR we have managed to realize a prime research on reflection over environmental topics, this being a very useful and necessary exercise; such kind of research work had not been realized before, except for scientific field. We stated, that periodical and regular assessment of mass-media (newspapers, along with radio, TV, online), would bring visible results over time and, first of all, a more responsible approach of the press towards environmental topics. - We have developed and promoted www.ecopresa.md, an online platform, which tends to become an indispensable source of information for the journalists and a promotional one for non-governmental sector of environment. - We have learned how important it is to keep and strengthen a viable network of environmental journalists in order to obtain viable and sustainable results.

Contacts Rusu Lilia The Executive Director Civil Society Organization „Association of Environmental journalists and Ecological Tourism in the Republic of Moldova” 13 Serghei Lazo Str., MD 2004, Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova + 373 22 23 71 49 [email protected] www.ecopresa.md

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