Environmental journalism will be the 13th category in the 20th Malta Journalism Awards next year.

Sponsored by Green Dot Malta, it will be awarded to a Maltese journalist whose work is assessed as having most effectively communicated environmental issues to the public.

“The award is being established this year to give due recognition to environmental journalism. Each submitted portfolio will be examined mainly for newsworthiness: timely work that adds to or encourages debate on current issues, and for impact – work that is noteworthy for its positive effect or influence in the community. The judging panel will also be instructed to base its considerations on other criteria, such as adherence to the IGM’s code of ethics, creativity, and appropriateness of context,” said IGM chairman Malcolm J. Naudi.

Green Dot operates GreenPak, the leading waste recovery scheme in Malta approved by Mepa. Since 2006, GreenPak has diverted thousands of tonnes of waste away from landfills and towards recycling. In its latest annual report, GreenPak revealed that, for several consecutive years, it has met and surpassed Malta’s national recycling targets.

“Environmental journalism is beginning to flourish in Malta and Green Dot Malta wants to encourage Maltese journalists to generate a greater public understanding and appreciation of contemporary environmental issues and developments,” said Green Dot Malta managing director Mario Schembri. “More recently, we have noticed that the most successful environmental campaigns are those that also make economic and financial sense.

“In fact, private-led initiatives, similar to GreenPak’s scheme, have led most EU countries to achieve high recycling performance, and at no cost to the taxpayer. While leading by example, Green Dot Malta also supports initiatives such as the sponsorship of this national environmental journalism award, as they encourage the Maltese community to adopt a more responsible lifestyle.”