CNN Academy’s New ‘Micro-Documentaries’ Sound the Climate Alarm for Global South at COP29

The Rockefeller Foundation supported specialized training by CNN Academy to amplify diverse voices, teach, and promote accurate and impactful reporting

BAKU | November 12, 2024 ― As part of Human Development, Children and Youth, Health, and Education Day at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29), a new series of micro-documentaries highlighting the effects of the climate crisis and its disproportionate impact on the Global South has been released, spearheaded by the CNN. From dwindling ecosystems to rising water levels and vanishing flora, emerging journalists from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Sierra-Leone, South Africa, the Philippines, and Vietnam have captured and crafted stories of the communities and environments most affected by climate change. This collection of short films is one result of specialized training by CNN Academy, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, to amplify diverse voices and teach and promote accurate and impactful reporting through the Global South Climate Storytelling program.

The stories were created over the course of seven months, during which time each of the participants was guided by a CNN mentor. Mentors provided insights on researching, storyboarding, capturing and editing to ensure the stories were engaging and would appeal to and connect with a vast, international audience. CNN Academy trainers and specialists from across the globe also provided instruction on mobile journalism and self-filming which was complemented with advice on tracking, scriptwriting, and vocal training to enhance the rich visuals with a strong audio narrative.

Becky Anderson, Anchor & Managing Editor, CNN Abu Dhabi, said: “We have been privileged to play a part in honing the already remarkable skills of this group of young storytellers via our CNN Academy initiative. To see these powerful, deeply authentic films informed by some of that training and mentorship gives us an enormous sense of pride, as well as a feeling of confidence that the future of journalism is in good hands with talented, passionate storytellers such as these.”

While these videos were created by storytellers working independently, upon completion all were subject to rigorous levels of scrutiny from CNN’s legal, standards & practices, and fact-checking teams before they were approved for publication.

Kostas Oikonomou Vice President, Content Sales and Licensing, CNN International Commercial, said:

“CNN Academy goes from strength to strength with key partners around the world, upskilling emerging talent and underpinning vital points of journalism, including how the climate crisis affects the Global South. This is a valued collaboration with The Rockefeller Foundation which has a focus on reversing the climate crisis and shares CNN Academy’s aim of empowering upcoming journalists.” 

Eileen O’Connor, Senior Vice President for Policy & Advocacy, The Rockefeller Foundation, said:

“As part of CNN Academy, The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to support young storytellers, empowering them to report on the greatest existential threat of our time: climate change. By amplifying voices and perspectives from regions that often go unseen and unheard, as well as providing access to world-class experts and trainings, we are investing in a new generation of journalists. You can see in their stories how committed they are to inspiring climate action in the areas of the world that need it most.”

CNN Academy Global South Storytellers:

Participants from the CNN Academy Global South Climate Storytelling program share their reflections on the impact of climate change and the importance of amplifying their communities’ voices through storytelling:

• “From the CNN Academy, I learnt more than storytelling techniques. I equipped myself with a new understanding of communication that now translates into all spheres of my life. My mentor brought an incredible depth of knowledge and practical insights, creating an environment where I felt empowered to push boundaries unlike before. Great ideas were suddenly more possible. My experience with CNN Academy has been transformative, pushing me to elevate my skills and creativity. Each session was a unique deep dive into the practicalities and nuances of creating compelling, impactful content that could resonate with a global audience.” ― Ben Pama, South Africa

• “Being selected as part of the program and getting a chance to learn from globally renowned journalists has been impactful to my career. It was a privilege and a great experience working with my assigned mentor Ladan Anoushfar, tapping from her wealth of knowledge and basking in her guidance helped take the documentary from an idea to the finished product. My takeaway from the CNN Academy is that journalism can be an intersection between factual reporting and human stories, with documentary being a strong medium to show this intersecting ability. And I certainly will be producing more documentaries moving forward.” ― Blessing Kure, Nigeria

• “My CNN Academy experience is a wonderful testament of resourcefulness and creativity. Despite the challenges of writing, filming and producing on my own, I pushed through and was able to produce a wonderful piece of climate storytelling. Working with Luke Henderson and Jon Jensen as my mentors for my CNN Academy short documentary really pushed my creativity forward. Not only did I learn new things about storytelling, I also learned to embrace feedback for a meaningful collaboration. CNN Academy taught me to be independent and to never doubt myself with the task at hand.” ― Breech Asher Harani, the Philippines

• “Participating in this program was an enriching experience that will stay with me throughout my entire career. I gained valuable skills in every detailed aspect of journalism, making it both an enjoyable and impactful journey. My mentor played a crucial role in helping me explore in depth the themes of my documentary, enhancing its quality and depth. Huge thanks to everyone who designed and supported this journey—it was a truly rich and comprehensive experience filled with essential knowledge that I’ll carry forward in my life.” ― Doaa Fareed, Egypt

• “My experience working on the climate story for the CNN Academy was transformative. The supportive tutors were very instrumental to making the mini-documentary a success. Thanks to Luke Henderson and my mentor, Brandon Miller for guiding me and expanding my approach to human interest stories. The Academy gave me the opportunity to connect with like-minded colleagues. A key impact of my work was featuring a six-year-old boy who, with help from an Albanian friend I met in China, is now back in school after facing educational barriers.” ― Eric Kawa, Sierra-Leone

• “It was great being in a room full of journalists and environmental activists from all corners of the global south. While all countries had some of the same structural issues, they also had unique local challenges that were interesting to learn about. It was the perfect environment to develop storytelling skills that showed us how we can translate local issues to global concerns that everyone should be paying attention to.” ― Esha Mitra, India

• “For me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to work with dedicated, ambitious, and inspiring individuals from across the Global South countries under the mentorship of a prestigious network such as CNN, where we were given the resources and platform to be able to maximize our skills and work through outside-the-box opportunities to create an impactful story that would then inspire others. Being able to connect with these individuals coming from countries with similar backstories and challenges, we were given the bond to create something remarkable under the guidance of CNN that lasted not only in the two weeks that we were in Abu Dhabi, but throughout the journey of our documentary process, and even beyond.” ― Karina Basrewan, Indonesia

• “My experience at the CNN Academy helped me to be part of a community of storytellers dedicated to shedding light on climate change. I also really enjoyed the climate simulation training module. The sheer amount of details the organisers put into creating an entire virtual world for the simulation was truly fascinating. As I started to work on my report, my mentors pushed me to challenge myself, to help me bring my report to life. Every single feedback from them helped to bring new perspectives to the report and helped me to better narrate the climate story.” ― Krithiga Narayanan, India

• “Driven to build my capacity as a climate storyteller at a time when it’s more important than ever, the CNN Academy Climate Reporting program equipped me with the tools and networks to become a voice that makes a real difference. Through the immersive, realistic simulations crafted by the CNN team, which kept us on our toes, I gained a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver narratives that not only convey the truth but also bring audiences closer to lived realities, helping them truly go there.” ― Ledama Masidza, Kenya

• “Being selected for the CNN Academy Climate Storytelling Program from 15,000 applicants, receiving training, and producing stories under CNN mentors has been an unforgettable journey in my life….Sessions with senior journalists were a highlight of the experience. I remember training with CNN Executive Editor Ram Ramgopal and CNN International Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh; their sessions were truly enlightening… My understanding of storytelling has transformed since joining CNN Academy. I now view events and stories differently, with a focus on crafting them in a beautiful, engaging way…To those considering CNN Academy: this is a golden opportunity. Here, you’ll learn powerful storytelling techniques that will serve you throughout your journalism career.” ― Md Ibrahim Khalilullah, Bangladesh

• “The CNN Academy was an incredible opportunity to learn directly from journalism experts I admire from around the world. My peers in the program have also become a valuable network and a lasting source of inspiration. This mentorship program personally opened the doors to video journalism, inspiring me to incorporate more video into my climate reporting. Since then, I’ve enrolled in video editing courses and have been experimenting with video storytelling in diverse settings, from the Arctic to UN conferences —seeking impactful ways to communicate the realities of the climate crisis.” ― Pamela Elizarrarás Acitores, Mexico

• “This was a unique opportunity to learn from a renowned anchor like Bill Weir himself and other CNN journalists from around the world who helped me shape a story in a usually underreported topic like the effects of climate change in Colombia, through this specific case of disappearing islands… One of the things I value the most apart from this final result, which I am very proud of, and a few professional opportunities that came from it, is the people I met. I would’ve never had the opportunity to meet such ambitious and talented young journalists/storytellers without this program. I’ll forever have this experience in my heart and be grateful for this time that trained me to tell but also to learn from all the climate change impacts every corner of the world is facing and how some amazing individuals or initiatives are taking matters into their own hands and doing something about it.” ― Salomé Saldarriaga Jiménez, Colombia

• “I consider the short climate change story that I got to produce afterwards under CNN mentors as a turning point of my career. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to learn from so many seasoned international journalists. The icing on the cake was making friends from diverse places and expanding my professional network. Forever grateful.” ― Sarah Sapsanamma Rai, Nepal
• “I wish I had studied at the CNN academy before I started out my career as a journalist, but it’s never too late to surprise myself. The academy trainers and organizers offered world-class education and hands-on training opportunities that I think will be hard to beat. My mentors were absolutely phenomenonal – their no-nonsense approach and brutally necessary feedback were exactly what I needed to become a better filmmaker and journalist. My documentary about coconut nectar as a solution to saltwater intrusion in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is a humble example of me learning from the best. The academy set the standard high for me to continue reporting on the delta which is arguably one of the most representative climate change stories in Vietnam and the Global South more broadly. I used to struggle to come up with a name when asked whom I look up to in film making and climate reporting. Happy to say that’s no longer the case.” ― Sen Nguyen, Vietnam

The full collection of work from the Global South Climate Storytelling program can be watched at cnn.com/world/cnn-academy. For more information see academy.cnn.com

About CNN Academy

CNN Academy is designed to empower and upskill the next generation of journalists. It builds on a long tradition established by CNN’s founder, Ted Turner, to train and nurture future talent by developing skills, forging links, and opening doors. From Dublin to Kuala Lumpur, we bring the newsroom to the classroom by connecting participants with CNN’s top correspondents and teaching them what it takes to be a successful multimedia journalist. For more information, visit: http://academy.cnn.com

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe  and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LI @the-rockefeller-foundation.