Amid rising heat waves, growing pressure on the electric grid, and persistent inequalities that shape access to energy in Brazil, CLASP launched an unprecedented mentorship program for journalists across the country, dedicated to deepening the public debate on energy efficiency and its role in the climate transition.
The program—conducted in partnership with Agência Bori—brought together reporters from various regions for eight sessions with specialists from government, science, and civil society, providing tools to turn a highly technical topic into accessible and socially relevant information.
Demand for the training was high: nearly 100 journalists applied for a limited number of spots, demonstrating the growing interest in understanding how energy efficiency can reduce inequalities, cut emissions, and improve quality of life. The initiative culminated in the InfoEnergia Award, presented during COP30 at an event hosted by the Crux Alliance and Folha de S.Paulo.
The award recognized the most socially relevant stories produced by participating journalists.
Why journalism matters in the energy debate
The mentorship highlighted that translating complex topics is not just a technical challenge—it is a public necessity. In presenting the purpose of the initiative, Edilaine Camillo, head of CLASP’s Brazil office, emphasized the press’s transformative role in shaping public policy.
“We often provide technical support to governments, but this only becomes policy when it appears in the media and when people begin pressing for change. That’s why we want to bring this debate into the public sphere as a tool for transformation.”
Throughout the sessions, journalists explored how energy efficiency connects directly to everyday life—especially in a country where 36 percent of families spend more than half their income on electricity and cooking gas. The group further examined the role of public procurement, innovation in the electricity sector, sustainable cooling policies, and the challenges of climate justice.
Camillo also reinforced that the mentorship was created to inspire impactful storytelling and strengthen CLASP’s mission in Brazil and around the world. “We want to inspire stories that show how more efficient appliances reduce household energy costs, expand access to thermal comfort, and strengthen the public debate.”
The InfoEnergia Award winners
The winning story was “Eficiência energética é ignorada em 76 percent das licitações de ar-condicionado na Amazônia” (“Energy efficiency is overlooked in 76 percent of air-conditioning procurement processes in the Amazon”), by Cley Medeiros, published in A Crítica. The investigation revealed that between 2023 and 2025, 76 percent of consumer purchases of air conditioners in the Brazilian Amazon were made without requiring efficiency labels.
“I wanted to understand how the government dealt with such an essential issue,” Medeiros remarked. “How can the public sector fail to act as an inducer of the energy transformation we need in the Amazon? I’m very happy about this recognition. Thank you so much, CLASP.”
Second place went to Adriana Amâncio, from Mongabay, for “A solução vem do lixo: biometano coloca Manaus na rota da descarbonização” (“The solution comes from waste: biomethane puts Manaus on the path to decarbonization”). “I knew nothing about energy poverty, she noted upon receiving the award. “This mentorship opened up a topic I had never explored before, and that challenges me deeply.”
Third place was awarded to Alice Martins Morais, from Amazônia Vox, for “Feitos com PVC, postes solares são exemplo de eficiência energética na Amazônia ribeirinha” (“Made of PVC, solar poles are a model of energy efficiency in riverine Amazon communities”).
An Honorable Mention went to Ellen Nemitz, from ((o))eco, for “O elo esquecido da transição: como a eficiência energética pode ajudar a descarbonizar a indústria” (“The forgotten link in the transition: how energy efficiency can help decarbonize industry”).
A collective and urgent debate
By promoting specialized training and celebrating impactful reporting, InfoEnergia demonstrates how journalism and energy efficiency move forward together. For CLASP and Agência Bori, strengthening journalistic coverage means strengthening the country’s ability to advance a fair and effective energy transition—one anchored in people’s real needs. This is possible because powerful stories, when they reach the right audiences, can change policies, transform markets, and improve lives.
The mentorship program was made possible through a grant provided by the Crux Alliance.