The first 100 journalists have now registered for the Earth Journalism Awards with a significant proportion of registrants coming from Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 50 journalists signed up  within hours of the announcement of the awards at the G8 Environment Ministers' Meeting in Siracusa, Italy at a Communications Roundtable organised by the World Bank and the Government of Italy. Analysis of the registrants reveals strong participation from key developing world regions, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 24% of the registrations, followed by  North America, Europe and Australia (19%), South Asia (16%), Eurasia 12%, Middle East and North Africa (10%)  East Asia and Pacific (10%), Latin America and the Caribbean (9%). 

'Within five days of announcing the awards we are delighted to have such a good spread from those developing world regions where our research shows that  the issue of climate change and what is up for negotiation in Copenhagen is subject to the least media coverage and to  the least public debate' says Agathe Dalisson of Internews and Earth Journalism Awards Project Director. 'We are urging journalists from the G8 economies to participate in the awards, and they are clearly registering. The initial response from the media community to the announcement at the Siracusa G8 also suggests that the Awards are on track to focus media attention where it is greatly needed - in the developing world.'