Call For Pitches: Dialogue Earth Invites Global South Storytellers to Highlight Community Solutions to Extreme Heat|Apply by 4 Aug 2026

As global temperatures continue to rise, communities across the Global South are facing increasing challenges caused by extreme heat. From health risks and reduced productivity to challenges accessing food, education and safe working conditions, rising temperatures are affecting millions of people living in vulnerable urban areas.

Dialogue Earth has launched a new Call for Pitches inviting visual storytellers, journalists and social-media-focused creators to share powerful stories about how frontline urban communities are experiencing extreme heat and developing solutions to adapt.

The initiative focuses on bringing attention to communities that are often overlooked while highlighting affordable, sustainable and locally driven approaches that are helping people cope with a hotter world.

Telling the Stories of Communities Facing Extreme Heat

The project seeks original, visual-led stories that explore the realities of people living in urban areas affected by dangerous heat levels. Rather than focusing only on the impacts of climate change, the call aims to showcase how communities are responding, adapting and creating solutions.

Applicants are encouraged to pitch stories about specific communities rather than general discussions about climate change. These could include:

• Outdoor workers exposed to extreme temperatures
• Elderly populations facing increased heat-related health risks
• Residents of crowded, low-income neighbourhoods
• Communities experiencing limited access to cooling, water or green spaces
• Local groups developing innovative heat adaptation strategies

The selected stories should demonstrate the experiences of real people and highlight solutions already being implemented on the ground.

Focus on Sustainable and Community-Led Solutions

Dialogue Earth is particularly interested in solutions that are practical, affordable and accessible. These approaches can involve traditional knowledge, grassroots initiatives, community organisations or innovative local projects.

Potential story ideas may explore:

• Changes in housing designs that help reduce indoor temperatures
• Community spaces designed to provide shade and cooling
• Local policies supporting heat adaptation
• Changes in working patterns to protect people from dangerous temperatures
• Lifestyle adjustments that improve resilience during heat waves
• Traditional techniques that help communities manage rising temperatures

The organisation is looking for stories where solutions come directly from communities, although effective government or institutional programmes that support local people will also be considered.

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is open to journalists, photographers, visual storytellers and social media creators who have a connection with a frontline urban community in the Global South.

Applicants may apply individually or as part of a team. Dialogue Earth is especially interested in creators who have experience producing social-first content for platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

Applicants do not need to personally have every skill required for the final project. Those who need additional support with photography, video production or storytelling may be connected with suitable collaborators.

The organisation welcomes applications from people working across different fields, including:

• Climate and environmental journalism
• Health reporting
• Culture and community storytelling
• Social media content creation
• Photojournalism
• Human-interest reporting

Required Deliverables

Successful applicants will be expected to produce a complete multimedia storytelling package that includes:

• A collection of 30–40 photographs with detailed captions
• An approximately 800-word article
• At least one social-first video, including raw footage and editing guidance
• Additional creative formats such as Instagram reels, video series or carousel content are also welcomed

The final content should provide an engaging and accessible way for audiences around the world to understand how communities are responding to extreme heat.

Compensation of USD 1,500 Available

Selected storytellers will receive USD 1,500 to cover all project deliverables, including applicable taxes.

The payment is intended to support the production of high-quality journalism that documents community experiences and shares valuable climate adaptation lessons with a global audience.

Important Submission Requirements

All pitches and submitted materials must be:

• Original and unpublished
• Exclusive to Dialogue Earth
• Created without the use of artificial intelligence tools for writing, editing or content creation

AI-generated content will not be accepted, except for limited use of transcription or translation tools. Applicants using translation assistance must disclose this during submission.

Published stories will appear on Dialogue Earth’s website under Creative Commons licensing. Images may also become part of a public heat archive and may be used across social media platforms.

How to Submit a Pitch

Applicants must submit a pitch written in English between 300 and 500 words through the official online submission form.

The pitch should explain:

• The community and heat-related challenge being explored
• The solution or adaptation approach being highlighted
• How the story will be visually presented
• The applicant’s journalism, photography or social media experience
• Links to previous work and online profiles
• Any planned collaborators and their contributions

Deadline: 4 August 2026

This opportunity provides journalists and creators with a chance to amplify important climate stories from communities experiencing the realities of extreme heat. By documenting local solutions and resilience strategies, selected storytellers will help build awareness of how people across the Global South are adapting to a rapidly changing climate.

Creators with strong community connections, visual storytelling skills and a passion for climate justice are encouraged to submit their ideas before the deadline.

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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the  organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of  emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.