Supported projects

ROTTERDAM - The Netherlands is a hub for Russian whitefish such as cod, and thus indirectly facilitates Russia's war chest. Millions of kilos of Russian fish arrive in the port of Velsen every year, but controls on illegal catches are seriously inadequate.

NUMAN – On land surrounding a huge sugar refinery in Nigeria, dangerously high concentrations of heavy metals appear to have had a devastating effect on people’s lives and farming output.

AMSTERDAM / ANTWERP / IMMINGHAM / LAGOS – International oil traders continue to dump toxic waste products into road fuels sold to African countries, polluting the environment, damaging engines and causing life-changing health problems for citizens, despite the efforts of the regulators and civil ...

THE HAGUE - Since the war in Ukraine, dozens of Russian ‘research vessels’ have been making suspicious movements near critical infrastructure in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. This has been revealed by research conducted by VRT NWS in collaboration with media outlets in the Netherlands, Germany ...

CHAMONIX / VIOLA / PRAGELATO / TEGLIO – "Who Owns Our Winter" is a cross-border investigation into the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina and the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps which explores the environmental, social, and economic implications of adopting a development model ...

AFRICA - New generations always dream big. Daaf Borren travelled through some 16 countries in Africa, fascinated by their stories. From Mali and Congo to Ethiopia and Mauritania: this is an atypical travel book, in which you not only cover many kilometres, but also travel along to the future.

ROME / SOFIA / BUCHAREST – Proper recycling of PV panels can generate large quantities of raw materials crucial for the energy transition. Yet, due to the presence of harmful and toxic substances, solar waste can become extremely dangerous when it ends up in the wrong hands.

ROME - "Territori di inchiesta" project was created to empower young storytellers network in Italy to enhance climate investigative journalism and improve such coverage at the national level, as Italy is one of the places in the world that are most exposed to losses from extreme weather damage ...

PARIS / LONDON / STOCKHOLM – This investigation reveals how European countries have been spending the “climate finance” that they have pledged to help developing countries tackle climate change.

BAHIR DAR - For the past 19 months, Ethiopia’s Amhara region has been devastated by a conflict between federal forces and the Fano militia, which seeks full control of Amhara territory. 

HELSINKI / LIMA - This investigation shows that the EU needs environmental regulations for zinc supply from other countries, in order to avoid environmental damage and health costs.

LECCE / THESSALONIKI / VLORA – This investigation uncovers critical regulatory and environmental issues surrounding the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), Europe’s largest fossil fuel project which spans Italy, Albania, and Greece. 

GDANSK / ONLINE – This training project focuses on enhancing news and investigative climate reporting in Poland by strengthening climate literacy within the biggest editorial offices.

TIRANA - Albania is experiencing an unprecedented surge in tourism, with more than 7.5 million tourists last year and more than 10 million expected next year. This rapid growth is putting considerable pressure on the country's natural environment.

OSIJEK – Mura-Drava-Danube is a UNESCO-protected biosphere reserve. It spans over 300,000 ha and includes more than 700 km of connected rivers. This investigation reveals poor management practices, lack of cooperation between five national governments, and lack of conservation efforts.

MEXICO CITY - This investigation reveals the scary scale of industrial pollution in Mexico caused by the activities of Volkswagen, BASF, and Bayer, Germany-based companies. Legal loopholes and lax oversight allow their facilities to continue discharging toxic waste.

IZMIR / CATANIA – Forest wildfires have increased in size and impact. Every year, 375,000 hectares of land in Mediterranean countries are scorched. Journalists tried to identify the main factors that lead to these disasters, which treaten entire ecosystems.

PALMA / ACI TREZZA / VENICE / MASAXLOKK / AGIA NAPA / KATAPOLA – This investigation focuses on how the EU laws have promoted industrial fishing in the Mediterranean, to the detriment of Southern European small-scale fishermen.

VIENNA – A two-day intensive workshop featuring a unique program designed for investigative journalists with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of technical skills.

ROTTERDAM/ANTWERP — This first-of-its-kind investigation shows how much fossil fuels will be produced by Dutch and Belgium oil refineries between now and the year 2050. When burned, at least 3.9 million kilotons of carbon will be released into the atmosphere - emissions that correspond to hundreds ...