This year marks the fifth time the Austrian Environmental Journalism Award is being presented. The award recognises outstanding media contributions on environmental and nature conservation topics across print and digital media in Austria, and comes with a total prize fund of €4,000. This year's prize money is being donated by lavera NATURKOSMETIK. Journalistic contributions that help broaden knowledge about environmental and nature conservation topics, or that contribute to critical discussion of these issues, are eligible for the award.
Climate protection Minister Leonore Gewessler is once again taking on the patronage of the Environmental Journalism Award in 2024. The award is intended to shine an even brighter spotlight on the important topics of environmental, nature, and climate protection, and to promote and honour serious and transparent journalism.
An independent jury made up of high-profile journalists and sustainability experts selects one winning entry in each of the categories Text, Audio, TV/Video, and Cross Media. In addition to journalistic quality, a key criterion is whether the entries shed light on new aspects of a topic.
The jury members are: Laura Anninger - Netzwerk Klimajournalismus Österreich, Mag. Dr. Amelie - Cserer Social and Economic Scientist, Christian Cummins – ORF, Dr. Friedrich Hinterberger - Club of Rome - Austrian Chapter, Doris Holler-Bruckner - oekonews.at, Em.O.Univ.Prof. Dr.phil. Helga Kromp-Kolb – BOKU, Michael Lohmeyer - Die Presse, Verena Mischitz - Netzwerk Klimajournalismus Österreich, Werner Müllner – APA, Stefan Nimmervoll - Blick ins Land, Roswitha Reisinger – Lebensart, Rainer Schultheis - ORF, Nana Siebert - DER STANDARD, Prof. Fred Turnheim - Freelance Journalist, Dr. Mag. Isabella Uhl-Hädicke, BA - Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg, Mag. Thomas Wolkinger - FH Joanneum Graz.
The Austrian Environmental Journalism Award was initiated in 2017 by the environmental initiative MUTTER ERDE (ORF) to raise awareness among media outlets, the public, and businesses about environmental issues, and to promote high-quality and critical reporting on environmentally relevant topics.
In 2018, the organisation of the award was transferred to the GREEN BRANDS Organisation.
In the GREEN BRANDS Organisation (www.GREEN-BRANDS.org), a host was found that advocates for environmental and climate protection at a strategic level and is, by virtue of its own activities, ideally placed to deliver the award.
GREEN BRANDS is an independent brand evaluation organisation that developed its assessment process in Austria in 2010 and now recognises ecologically sustainable brands in eight countries, awarding the GREEN BRANDS quality seal. The GREEN BRANDS quality seal is a registered EU guarantee mark for ecological sustainability, with an independent, transparent, and neutral evaluation process.
The GREEN BRANDS Organisation is fundamentally supported in delivering the award by cooppa Mediengenossenschaft (Dr. Martin Hoffmann - www.cooppa.at), APA, and for the prize money by lavera NATURKOSMETIK (lavera.de) as well as the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK).
Sabine Kästner, Sustainability Officer & UPR Laverana: "This year, lavera is donating the prize money because, alongside our commitment to environmental and nature conservation, the importance of transparent communication is something we feel very strongly about. At a time when climate change represents an increasingly urgent challenge, while at the same time budget cuts in the media sector are threatening the depth of reporting, the significance of the Austrian Environmental Journalism Award becomes especially clear. Critical and serious reporting on topics such as nature, climate, and environmental protection is more important than ever in raising awareness."
Eligible for submission are journalistic works that were published or broadcast between September 2022 and 31 August 2024 in an Austrian public medium (print, radio, television) or on the internet (blogs, YouTube, websites).
The award ceremony will take place on 3 December 2024 as part of the GREEN BRANDS Austria closing gala in Vienna.
Until 31 August 2024, entries can be submitted via the form at https://www.umweltjournalismus-preis.at/einreichung-2023-24/. Submissions must include precise details of the first publication (source and date of publication). Only complete submissions will be considered. Radio and TV contributions with large file sizes can be submitted via link. The terms of participation and all information about the award are available at www.Umweltjournalismus-Preis.at. Enquiries can also be sent by email to einreichung@umweltjournalismuspreis.at
