26 Sep 2019, 10:55

Martha
Otwinowski
Martha managed the CLEW Journalism Network until February 2020. She developed network strategies and activities for energy reporters across the globe and helped launch the network platform in 2018. Prior to that, she was a correspondent at Index on Censorship, and also worked as policy researcher at a non-profit start-up.
Emilio
Godoy
Emilio Godoy is a freelance journalist who regularly covers the energy transition, climate change, and the circular economy. He writes for Inter Press Service news agency and Proceso magazine as well as other media.

Three questions to Emilio Godoy, CLEW Ambassador for Mexico and Latin America

Climate & CO2 Fossil fuels International

Emilio Godoy, CLEW Journalism Network volunteer ambassador for Mexico and Latin America.

Emilio Godoy is a freelance journalist who regularly covers the energy transition, climate change, and the circular economy. He writes for Inter Press Service news agency and Proceso magazine as well as other media. Emilio Godoy became CLEW ambassador in August 2018, because of his interest in the social and economic interactions between energy and climate change. This interview is part of our current series of blog posts introducing our volunteer representatives from 16 regions across the world. Martha Otwinowski of the CLEW Journalism Network team in Berlin spoke to Emilio.

Emilio, what is the most important energy topic or debate in Mexico and Latin America right now?

In Mexico there is a hot debate on the new government’s plan for devoting millions of dollars to exploiting more oil, building a refinery, updating big hydro and leaving behind wind and solar energies. That plan could walk the country backwards in the incipient energy transition it began some years ago. Moreover, the government’s intentions can make it more difficult for Mexico to comply with its pledges for the Paris Climate Agreement, which are actually lagging behind. Mexico will have to escalate the ambitions of its climate goals, and its energy plan is in open contradiction with that.

There are similar situations across the region. Argentina and Brazil have plans to extract more fossil fuels, which is incompatible with the Paris Agreement. Chile is deploying more renewable energy. In summary, the energy transition is a challenge for Latin America.

How do you view your role as CLEW Ambassador?

Pushing energy transition reporting in Latin America and helping colleagues to approach the issue from a critical perspective, analysing plans, budgets, and goals.

What is your advice for local journalists starting out with covering the energy transition – and what guidance would you give an international journalist doing an energy transition story in Mexico and Latin America?

I’d suggest that they assess what companies, federal, state and local governments are doing regarding the energy transition and compare them with what is needed to avoid more climate catastrophes. Are they doing enough, are they just pretending to do something? What is needed to improve their plans?

In the second case, I’d advise the colleague to look at obstacles facing municipalities and local communities in order to generate their own renewable electricity and solutions to incorporate them.

If you are an international journalist doing a story that involves research on energy transition and climate policy in Mexico/Latin America, you can reach out to Emilio Godoy as a first contact point. Beyond that, our other CLEW Journalism Network members in Mexico/Latin America might be able to help you out, or be interested in collaborating on an energy transition story with you.

If you are a Mexico/Latin America-based journalist with an idea for a project on-the-ground, Emilio Godoy is there to refer you to us at CLEW.

Should you be looking for expertise in other countries –have a look at the CLEW Journalism Network map!