Internews - the global media assistance NGO and organizer of the Earth Journalism Awards -  is pleased to announce that the 'Climate Change & Forests Award' is to be given in association with The Global Canopy Programme, an alliance of 37 scientific institutions in 19 countries, which lead the world in forest canopy research, education and conservation.

"For decades, the CO2 emissions caused by deforestation were the elephant in the living room of climate change - a huge problem that was not given its due importance in the international negotiations" says Andrew Mitchell, Founder and Director of the Global Canopy Programme, "With a mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) now poised to be agreed at December's UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen that has thankfully changed - but it was as recently as May 2007 that London's Independent newspaper blew the whistle on the destruction of the world's rainforests on its front page as 'the hidden cause of global warming'. Journalists will play an ever more vital role in bringing the complex issues related to effectively and equitably tackling deforestation to the fore as REDD and other monies start to flow in the coming years. We are delighted to be associated with the Internews Earth Journalism Awards."

The Climate Change & Forests Award is one of 7 major thematic awards in the Internews Earth Journalism Awards. A competition that will culminate in a high-profile ceremony in Copenhagen on December 14, 2009; the eve of the last few days of the negotiations.  The Earth Journalism Awards, which officially closed on September 7, has attracted over 900 registrations from 148 countries. From these registrations Internews received applications in all media formats from 104 countries. The Climate Change & Forest Award itself attracted applications from national media outlets based in key forest countries in including Brazil and Madagascar, and policy-influencing news agencies and publications such as Reuters and The Economist

The  award will be presented to the best story on issues connecting climate change and forests, and the key role that protecting forests can play in tackling global warming. If the world is to avert climate catastrophe by keeping average global temperatures from rising more than two degrees by 2050, we cannot continue with the current attitude of 'business as usual'. Deforestation releases approximately six billion tonnes of CO2 annually, causing almost 20% of all carbon emissions - more than the entire global transport sector put together.

Over a billion of the world's poorest people already depend on tropical forests for their livelihoods. The ecosystem services generated by these uniquely biodiverse forests - including rainfall generation at a global scale - will become ever more vital in a world adapting to climate change.

"An agreement on forests can and must be reached at Copenhagen," said Charlie Parker, the GCP's head of policy and editor of 'The Little REDD Book' - a widely adopted guide to the REDD negotiations. "As the international community moves towards a global deal on climate change, forests cannot be left on the sidelines - and it is now more important than ever that politicians worldwide hear the voices of forest communities, scientists and NGOs. For that we rely on the media and the work of organsations such as Internews in assisting them.  We believe that the Climate Change and Forests Award will recognise their invaluable contribution and help spur even greater activity in the years to come."

For more information please contact:

Carolina Elia, Global Canopy Programme, Networks and External Relations Manager
Tel: +44 0207 616 8408

Agathe Dalisson, Earth Journalism Awards Director
Tel: +33 1 5336-0606

Mark Harvey, Internews Europe Development Director
Tel: +44 770 318 0524

James Fahn, Earth Journalism Network Director
Tel: +66 819607673