Imelda Abano is an environmental journalist, mentor and a media trainer with over 20 years of experience covering climate change, biodiversity, energy, environmental-health, illegal wildlife trade and other related topics in the Philippine, Asia and Pacific Region. Imelda is the founding President of the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists (PNEJ).

She has been covering the United Nations-backed climate change conferences for 15 years now as a fellow and a media trainer under the United Nations Framework of Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN). As EJN’s Senior Coordinator for the Philippines and the Pacific Region, she has managed various media support activities such as climate change and environmental reporting workshops, mentorship, cross-border collaborative reporting, managing story grants, commissioning stories, networking with media organizations and individual journalists, and development of resource materials. She has helped train over 5,000 journalists across the world.
   
For her contribution to climate change and environmental journalism, Imelda was recognized as the Philippines Climate Change Media Champion in 2018 and 2019 by Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. She is the Asia Development Journalists of the Year for 2009, a UN Gold Medal Champion on Humanitarian and Development Reporting in 2009, IUCN-Reuters Asia Awardee on Environmental Reporting in 2002, among other international and national journalism awards. She is a former member of the board of directors of the Society of Environmental Journalists.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Strengthening Solutions-Based Climate Reporting for Philippine Journalists

Imelda's project brought together 20 journalists for a workshop focused on solutions-based approaches. Timed just before the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai, the workshop equipped journalists with insights and skills crucial for effective climate reporting.

A key outcome of the project was the creation of a solutions-based climate reporting tipsheet, designed to empower news organizations and journalists to report more effectively on climate-related issues. This resource serves as a practical guide for journalists seeking to frame climate stories in a constructive and solutions-oriented manner.

The impact of Imelda's project extends beyond the workshop itself. More than 250 members of the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists have expressed interest in receiving training on climate change reporting through a solutions lens. Imelda plans to support this initiative as a trainer in the future, thereby amplifying the project's reach and fostering a culture of impactful climate journalism within the network. Through her project on climate reporting workshops, Imelda's project contributed to greater public awareness and action on climate issues.

"As the editor of a community-oriented media outfit, the Climate Solutions Journalism workshop that we attended played a pivotal role in shaping our editorial framework and refining our workflow for climate and environmental reporting in the Philippines. This experience instilled a solutions-oriented mindset and enriched our storytelling tools. It empowered us to effectively guide our local reporters and citizen journalists, ensuring they cover actionable stories in their communities with depth, purpose, and impact. Thanks to IVLP alumni, Imelda Abano" - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Imelda was a participant in the IVLP Project The Climate Crisis: Working Together for Future Generations for the Indo-Pacific and Central Asia, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.

Imelda's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award project: "My IVLP experience has inspired me to build a sense of hope that scalable solutions to manage the escalating threat of [the] climate crisis are achievable."

US Communities Visited

San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA

"I was inspired by the vast knowledge shared to our group, the activities, learning trips and interaction [with] people who are working to make a sustainable environment. Now I want to do my part, that is to strengthen the quality of climate reporting through a solutions lens." - Imelda Abano

Country: Philippines 

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