Esther Teo, Straits Times 11 Nov 09;
STRAITS Times reporter Jessica Cheam has won a coveted green journalism prize conferred by the World Bank and Internews, a global media organisation.
The Earth Journalism award, as it is known, honours people who have used their communication skills to promote awareness of climate change issues.
Ms Cheam, 26, won one of 15 regional or thematic awards in a field that attracted 900 professional and citizen journalists from across the world.
Her prize includes an all-expenses paid trip to cover the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen next month.
As one of the 15 winners, she is also in the running for the Global Public Award. For this, the public votes through online platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The top gong and the 15 awards will be presented at a ceremony in Copenhagen during the climate change talks.
Ms Cheam, who has been covering the environment and energy issues for two years, clinched the award with a six-page Saturday Special report for The Straits Times in February.
Over four months, she spent countless hours researching issues, even trekking through frigid Calgary, a temperate Houston in winter, and Bintulu in Sarawak to profile the changing face of the energy industry.
The research also involved interviewing leaders such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi in January to compile the report on the world's rapidly evolving energy landscape and the global shift towards renewable power.
The scope of the project was so wide that it was no easy task. However, Ms Cheam successfully weaved together a comprehensive coverage.
Mr Arul Louis, a fellow at Knight International, an American group that helps develop journalistic standards, was the regional juror in the awards process and described the report as providing 'tenacious and consistent coverage'.
Ms Cheam said yesterday: 'Some people find the energy topic boring and are not interested, but its profile has broadened to include clean energy. It's not just about engineers in dirty overalls anymore.'
'I find climate change a fascinating, multi-disciplinary subject. Besides the intellectual stimulation, I find reporting on it an emotionally rewarding experience as well,' she added.
Ms Cheam has also taken her passion to the Internet, helping to initiate Eco-business.com, the Asia-Pacific region's first dedicated site for environmental businesses.
The site - a non-profit project jointly funded by herself, the British High Commission here and the Singapore Environment Council - will be officially launched tomorrow.
It will share information to help put Asia on a sustainable growth path and tap into a network of environment journalists from the region to contribute to the site.
