Local press in northern Moldova strengthened through environmental protection training

Journalists from northern Moldova took part in a training session held in Bălți, dedicated to developing community journalism in the environmental protection and green justice. The activity was organized by EcoContact NGO as part of the second round of the small grants program for media, Community journalism for a healthy environment and green justice, funded by the Government of Sweden.

The event brought together representatives of local media outlets and environmental authorities, aiming to strengthen journalists’ professional capacities to report accurately, responsibly and thoroughly on public-interest topics in the environmental field.

The training session began with a presentation of the program’s general context and the objectives set for the second round of grants, given by project manager Tatiana Echim and Natalia Beregoi, manager of the small grants program for media within EcoContact. At the same time, the results achieved in the first round of the program were analyzed, along with lessons learned and the main challenges faced by journalists in covering environmental topics.


“An important segment of the training was dedicated to direct dialogue between journalists and environmental authorities. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions, clarify public-interest topics, and obtain detailed information about the responsibilities and activities of the institutions in charge of environmental protection. The topic was addressed by Valentina Guțu, head of the Northern Environmental Agency, and Vadim Matcovschi, chief inspector of the Environmental Protection Inspectorate in Bălți municipality,” EcoContact explains.


In the second part of the event, journalists were introduced to a journalist’s guide for producing media content on environmental and green justice topics. Current trends in environmental journalism and public communication for 2026 were also presented, with a focus on research, editorial responsibility, and the impact of information on local communities.


“Special attention was also given to the digital communication component. Participants discussed strategies for growing their audience, effective use of online platforms, and strengthening relations with the public through social networks, in the context of the new media realities,” the quoted source notes.


The session concluded with a Q&A round, which facilitated the exchange of experience between journalists and trainers, as well as the identification of relevant topics that can be addressed in future journalistic materials.

The activity was organized within the project Green justice for a protected environment and sustainable communities in the Republic of Moldova, implemented by EcoContact with financial support from Sweden. The project is part of a broader program to support the local press, intended to contribute to the professional coverage of environmental issues, natural resource management, the impact of climate change and the principles of green justice in the Republic of Moldova.