The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs leads Department efforts to expand and strengthen the relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other countries.
The grant focuses on enhancing the quality of media reporting on climate change and pollution by improving data-driven journalism. It aims to amplify the social media narrative and advocate for better public health resources and actions to combat environmental challenges. To achieve these goals, the grant plans to conduct at least six national-level media training workshops in India, across cities including New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and potentially in the Sundarbans, Ghaziabad, or Lucknow, targeting journalists especially affected by climate change. These workshops, catering to 40-50 journalists each over an 18-month period, seek to empower participants with technical knowledge through U.S. case studies and policies. The initiative aims to enhance the reporting capacities of approximately 300 journalists in total, encouraging more factual and actionable reporting on climate change in India, increasing the number of reports that connect environmental issues with policy, and improving the reliability of information on climate and environmental issues through accurate reporting. The program also emphasizes the importance of media in highlighting priority areas for practical action, raising awareness on climate change challenges, and promoting public engagement in environmental conservation to achieve net-zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5°C.