MEMO98
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RasĹĄo KuĹľel

3 minutes

MEMO 98 Launches Regional Initiative with the support of UNESCO to Strengthen Climate and Disaster Reporting in the Western Balkans

Empowering Media to Tackle the Climate Crisis through AI Tools, Cross-Border Collaboration, and Disaster Preparedness

MEMO 98 has launched a new regional initiative to strengthen climate and disaster reporting in North Macedonia and Montenegro. Running from April to December 2025, the program aims to equip local media with the tools, training, and editorial support needed to deliver impactful, data-driven journalism on environmental challenges—while also enhancing institutional readiness through UNESCO’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan.

Skopje/Podgorica, June 16, 2025 – MEMO 98, with support from UNESCO, has launched a regional program aimed at boosting the capacity of media outlets in North Macedonia and Montenegro to cover climate change and disaster preparedness through innovative, ethical, and data-driven journalism.

The initiative, titled “Supporting Media in Montenegro and North Macedonia on Climate and Disaster Reporting”, will run from April to December 2025 and support leading media outlets in each country through trainings, cross-border collaboration, mentoring, and story production.

By integrating digital and AI-supported tools, the project will empower participating newsrooms to report on climate-related challenges with greater accuracy, creativity, and impact. The program also enhances organization-level disaster preparedness through the piloting of UNESCO’s Model Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan (DPRP) for Media Institutions.

“Across the Western Balkans, the climate crisis is already disrupting lives, yet the media often lacks the tools or support to report on it effectively,” said Marek Mračka, project coordinator at MEMO 98. “This initiative helps local outlets shift from reactive coverage to proactive, public interest storytelling that informs and prepares communities.”

Participating outlets include a mix of public service broadcasters and private media, with a strong emphasis on editorial diversity and cross-border engagement. Through micro-grants and hands-on mentoring, they will co-produce climate-focused stories and public service announcements.

The project will culminate in regional workshops, bringing together media outlets to share best practices and highlight the results of cross-border editorial collaboration.

“This is more than a training project,” added Rasťo Kužel, Executive Director of MEMO 98. “It’s a step toward long-term resilience—not only for communities affected by climate change, but for the media itself. Independent journalism must play a central role in disaster communication and climate adaptation strategies.”

The project builds on MEMO 98’s extensive regional experience and longstanding partnerships with media and civil society across the Balkans. It is part of UNESCO’s global efforts to support media in climate action and disaster management. All training resources, digital tools, and ethical guidelines developed or used during the project will remain publicly available to support broader replication and sustainability.