With Baku as the backdrop for this 2024 edition, COP29 replayed a now familiar script. By hosting the event in its capital, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev stepped into the international spotlight, exposing himself in the process to the scrutinizing gaze of NGOs, associations and activists who were quick to highlight the deplorable treatment of journalists and political opponents of the host, firmly committed to oil and gas. In 2023 at COP28, Dubai also drew criticism for failing to uphold numerous fundamental rights in the United Arab Emirates despite their ambition to restore their image, tarnished by their oil dependence and the authoritarian excesses of its leaders. But beyond the criticism leveled at the host, it is the very format of the COPs that is being questioned. Year after year, these events are mocked for their shortcomings and this latest edition was no exception. Some will argue that the event was doomed from the start, and it would be hard to fault them. Between disappointing results, deplorable policies regarding press freedom and the instrumentalization of the event to serve a host country with an image problem, some media outlets are asking themselves… What on earth are they getting themselves into? A question that resonates particularly within an independent press firmly committed to its ecological principles and values.
I'm going, I'm not going
While most newsrooms agree that COP remains a major environmental news event, opinions differ on the resources needed to cover these two weeks of intense negotiations. Before heading there, some newsrooms carefully weigh the pros and cons. For this edition, the independent media outlet Vert has made its decision. Although present in Dubai for COP28, the newsroom felt this time that the trip wasn't necessary. Yet, on the Arrêt sur images show last year, its president Juliette Quef believed that "even if we have to take a plane, it's important as journalists to be on the ground. We don't tell the same story". Her decision not to attend this year isn't a reversal, she assures us: "We haven't changed our mind, we're on exactly the same page. For us, what we need to ask before sending a journalist is: what will be discussed? Not every COP has the same importance".
In short: travel and fly if necessary, but not for just anything. While the newsroom considers the environmental and economic impact of its travel, editorial merit takes priority, as Juliette Quef clarifies. At this latest edition, the outlet determined it wasn't worth it from a journalistic standpoint and has no regrets about its decision: "Negotiations are completely stalled (…) There aren't many heads of state and the French government isn't there. In reality, this isn't a major COP," she concludes. Vert is not alone in this choice. Mickael Correia, journalist for Mediapart, had decided the year before that he wouldn't set foot in Dubai. On the show À l'air libre, Mediapart's program, he listed the reasons behind his decision: press censorship, authoritarian tendencies, risk of endorsing a greenwashing strategy… "What's the point of burning that much carbon to follow discussions in an ultra-secure convention center that I can follow by video?", he wondered.
For its part, the Reporterre newsroom sent one of its journalists, Emmanuel Clévenot, to cover the event on the ground [the person interviewed is a close acquaintance of the author. More information in our transparency note, Editor's note]. He identifies a number of limitations in remote work that could potentially diminish the editorial value of their content, notably missing certain key statements: "The primary purpose of journalism is to go find information where it is. You can't do that work properly from Paris, where you're only working at a desk, from AFP wires or making a few phone calls. We'll call people we know, people we've already identified. We won't be open to talking with new people we might meet on the ground". But are journalists truly free to interact with any source when we know how little local authorities regard basic press freedoms? "We're well aware that in terms of press freedom, we're not on the same level as France at all", admits the journalist, referring to Reporters Without Borders' ranking, which places Azerbaijan 164th out of 180. Véronique Rebeyrotte, a journalist who covered the event on the ground for France Culture, observed clear disregard for press freedom during her stay, witnessing constant surveillance of her activities and those of her colleagues over these two weeks. Alarming practices that can significantly harm their work: "Won't this have repercussions for the civil society figures we're going to interview?" she wondered on France Culture's air. "There's a form of self-censorship, we have to admit it".
Move differently
If the irony of taking private jets to COP escapes some CEOs and celebrities, some media outlets are thinking about more consistent solutions for their travel. To reduce its carbon footprint, Reporterre chose to make the journey to the Azerbaijani capital by train. A nine-day trip that was documented daily by the journalist through videos and articles, traveling along the railways and railway stations of Eastern Europe… as well as the halls of a Georgian airport. Because for the outbound journey, the editorial team ran into a snag. Between Georgia and Azerbaijan, it's impossible to cross the border by land according to the French embassy in Baku; a detour across the tarmac proved inevitable. A one-hour flight between the respective capitals of the two nations. "Despite this, this option of a trip mostly by train combined with some bus travel and a flight at the end should result in a carbon footprint four times lower than that of a journey by plane alone", Emmanuel Clévenot tells us. For the return journey, the journalist traveled by his own means " to travel," without taking the plane he would confirm to us, except to leave Azerbaijani territory as on the outbound trip.
The exercise represents a considerable logistical undertaking. Sending a journalist to cover an event with a nine-day journey remains out of reach for many independent newsrooms. At the risk of pandering? Emmanuel Clévenot defends himself: "The idea is absolutely not to point fingers at other journalists, scientists or NGOs who wouldn't take this approach". Through this initiative, the journalist from Reporterre assures instead that he wants to highlight the hardship of the journey and an infrastructure deficit that prevents most people from avoiding flying, he specifies: "It's also a call to develop soft mobility options".
An initiative praised by Juliette Quef, for whom the exercise represents an opportunity to tell the story of travel differently, while emphasizing the importance of not imposing unattainable standards: "We shouldn't be in a place of militant purity, otherwise we've all lost. It's fine if he has to take a plane on the last leg. It's still an interesting experience, even if he takes a plane on the way back. I wouldn't want this to contribute to imposing things that are impossible for journalists or small newsrooms that have a different reality". Among the recommendations listed in the Charter for Journalism Equal to the Ecological Emergency, initiated by Vert and signed by numerous newsrooms, featured notably is the importance of "cultivating cooperation". A key lever for limiting carbon emissions during travel, particularly in cases where flying proves essential, argues Juliette Quef: "For a Paris-Nice trip, newsrooms shouldn't take a plane anymore, it's obvious. If we want to go to neighboring countries, we can try to organize things to take the time to collaborate between media outlets, between journalists, to pool certain resources, instead of having three different newsrooms go separately". A "two birds with one stone" strategy outlined at the last COP in Dubai during which Vert had produced a weekly column for Earth Square, a show on France Inter, and which is being run this year by Reporterre. Another solution: hire freelancers. Last year, Reporterre had called upon the services of journalist Valéry Laramée de Tannenberg who had already planned to make the trip for another newsroom. A choice the media outlet could prioritize for the next COP, which will be held in Brazil. "Most likely we'll work with a freelancer from Brazil because we know some and we already work with them" explains Emmanuel Clévenot.
Cover the event differently
Mocked for its ineffectiveness, ridiculed for its dysfunction, criticized for host allocation… the COP gets a bad rap, and the complexity of the negotiations that punctuate this diplomatic theater doesn't help. But rather than deciphering them and guiding the public through this event, some media outlets prefer to focus on far more sensational stories. Why spend time rehashing the technical aspects—crucial though they are—of the issue at stake when you can show images of an indoor ski slope in the middle of Dubai that will surely get a reaction? « It's our job as journalists and it's true that it's harder » observes Juliette Quef. « It's about managing to address complex issues that are, fundamentally, very tedious and making them simpler ». A challenge that depends on analytical effort and simplification to make these topics accessible to as many people as possible, but also on the choice of formats used. « If we only convey this through very heavy explainer articles, we're going to reach three people », she says. An approach that is reflected notably in the creation of personal videos for the social networks of Vert, broadcast on Instagram or TikTok, or even through the use of editorial cartoons.
Reporterre takes the same view, considering popularization to be an essential feature of their event coverage. The editorial team also intends to approach this diplomatic meeting differently, notably by presenting an alternative perspective. Emmanuel Clévenot believes that his presence on the ground allows him to ensure a different voice is heard on these issues: "We believe that a media outlet specialized in ecology, like Reporterre, has a duty to cover these events, if only to offer a viewpoint that differs from other mainstream media which may have a somewhat less radical stance than ours on decisions and rhetoric". An essential aspect of their media coverage of the event to avoid the risk of becoming an instrument of the host country's communication strategy: "I'm going there to report on what's happening. And the way I tell it will in no way endorse what's taking place there", he assures.
Listening to yourself and listening to your readers
"Only our readers can buy us" Mediapart regularly reminds us, having made this slogan the guarantee of their independence and the symbol of their commitment to financial sustainability achieved through the support of a community convinced of the value of independent journalism. A formula somewhat tongue-in-cheek but full of meaning in many respects. Like wealthy investors dissatisfied with a company's results, readers can choose to leave with their portfolio, essential though it is to the media's survival, if they don't find value in it. For Vert and Reporterre, which rely mainly on donations, the contributions of their donors go beyond simple financial support. Behind this gesture, they express a desire to strengthen and promote values, practices and discourse aligned with their ecological convictions. More than a simple transaction, this act reflects genuine commitment and trust in the media they support. A trust not to be broken, as Emmanuel Clévenot emphasizes: "Obviously we are expected by our readers and by our fellow journalists from other newspapers not to do anything reckless. Obviously it would be completely absurd and contradictory if tomorrow Reporterre started taking trips to the four corners of the world". Beyond simply reconciling readers' expectations with the media's strategic and editorial choices, Reporterre's interest in sustainable mobility stems quite simply from personal convictions shared by the journalists in the newsroom, daily tasked with working on the impact of pollution: "It ends up going beyond your own job, your own role as a journalist. We are convinced today, as individuals, that flying every day is no longer possible".
For Vert, it thus seems essential to give their supporters a voice in decision-making and a genuine sense of purpose in their commitment alongside the media they support. To give concrete form to this engagement, the editorial team created the Vert Club which supporters can join by making a donation. Among its benefits, the Club allows members to have a say in the media's strategic choices. Vert had for example asked its members to vote on their collaboration with Konbini, which was then majority-owned by the Perrodo family, owner of the Perenco oil company, before being bought out in 2024 by DC Company. A decision widely supported by voters. On the question of travel for future COPs, such as the one that will take place next year in Brazil, Juliette Quef does not rule out using the same method. "I think indeed it could be a very good idea to poll the club on whether we should be present in Belém or not". For the media's president, this kind of initiative is rooted in a principle that is key to the trust a community places in its media: transparency. "Explain why we do things, why they seem interesting to us, consult our community… These are ways to create this bond of trust and to rebuild it sustainably over time. I think we need that in the context we're in".
To go further
- Clubs to strengthen your community and share your values with examples from Vert, The Bristol Cable and Chut!
- The Charter for Journalism Matching the Scale of the Ecological Emergency.
- Hervé Kempf, founder of Reporterre, was the guest of the fourth episode of the first season of Chemins, the Médianes podcast.
- Discover Juliette Quef's experience report on the launch of Vert at the launch event for our book
· In writing this article, it seemed clear that interviewing Emmanuel Clévenot, who is a close acquaintance of the author, was the right choice given the relevance of his work on the subject covered. From a journalistic standpoint, we deemed it appropriate to interview him rather than omit his perspective, while taking essential precautions. The questions prepared for this interview were shared with the rest of the editorial team, and the interview transcript was also shared to ensure a balanced interview and faithful rendering of his statements. We felt it essential to disclose this connection to you in full transparency, so as to leave no doubt about the rigor of this article. Learn more about our methods in our editorial charter and code of ethics.
· Médianes, the studio, supports the teams at Vert.
