Most people who care about climate change already know the science. Temperatures are rising. Emissions matter. Tipping points exist. The information is everywhere. The gap between awareness and action stays wide.
GaiaLink’s Climate Communication Fellowship starts from a different diagnosis. The problem is not missing information. The problem is that climate communication fails to reach people where decisions are made. It fails emotionally, socially and through the stories that shape how people see the world.
Cohort 2 is now open. Applications close on 2 September 2026.
At a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organizer | GaiaLink |
| Format | Hybrid online evenings plus weekend field visits Delhi-NCR |
| Duration | 6 weeks |
| Time commitment | 6 to 10 hours per week |
| Open to | Indians aged 18 to 35 |
| Programme fee | INR 6999 |
| Application deadline | 2 September 2026 |
Who This Fellowship Is For
The program is open to young Indians aged 18 to 35 from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
It is especially relevant for people working or studying in communication, environmental studies, climate policy, psychology, design and media. GaiaLink also welcomes candidates outside those fields. Anyone who wants to communicate climate issues with greater empathy and clarity can apply.
If you have felt frustrated watching important climate information fail to move people, this program was built around that frustration.
This is not a research fellowship. It is not a funded grant. It is not an academic credential program. It is a skills building cohort with a programme fee of INR 6999. Know that before you apply.
What Six Weeks Looks Like
The fellowship runs hybrid across Delhi-NCR. Weekday evenings are online. These cover workshops, discussions and learning sessions. Weekends shift to field visits. These include urban forests, circular economy initiatives and sustainability-focused locations around the region.
Expect to commit 6 to 10 hours per week.
The six week curriculum builds step by step:
Week 1 — Climate Science and Communication Basics
Why facts alone do not drive behavioural change. The foundations of climate communication.
Week 2 — India’s Climate Reality
Regional vulnerabilities, local impacts and connecting global climate frameworks to Indian contexts.
Week 3 — Psychology, Behaviour and Narrative Framing
Cognitive biases, denial, emotional triggers and how narratives shape climate engagement.
Week 4 — Policy Systemic Overview and Greenwashing
Government climate policy, India’s NDC commitments and decoding corporate greenwashing.
Week 5 — Format and Distribution
Turning research into effective content. Selecting formats. Developing distribution strategies for different audiences and platforms.
Week 6 — Strategy and Pitch
Fellows develop and present a complete climate communication campaign strategy. This brings everything together in a final practical output.
What You Build During the Program
Fellows co create campaigns with peers rather than competing individually. The program emphasizes collaboration throughout.
Practical skills developed include:
- Translating climate research into accessible, engaging content
- Developing communication strategies for specific audiences
- Creating emotionally resonant stories and campaigns
- Understanding audience psychology and behavioural factors behind inaction
- Identifying and responding to greenwashing narratives
Fellows also join a growing network of mentors, researchers, speakers and grassroots sustainability leaders connected through GaiaLink’s ecosystem.
The Dates You Need
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Application deadline | 2 September 2026 |
| Programme induction | 5 September 2026 |
| Programme completion | 17 October 2026 |
The 2 September deadline is very close. If this program fits your background and goals apply now.
Before You Apply? Honest Points
This is only Cohort 2 of a program launched in 2024. GaiaLink is a young initiative. It does not have decades of alumni data. The program’s value will depend on the quality of the cohort, the mentors involved and how seriously participants engage with the campaign development process.
The hybrid format works only if you are based in or near Delhi-NCR. The weekend field visits are in person. Remote participation is not designed into the structure.
The fee is INR 6999. For some applicants that is straightforward. For others it is worth weighing carefully against what the program offers at this early stage.
The curriculum itself is well designed. The mix of climate science, behavioural psychology, narrative framing and practical campaign development covers ground that most communication training programs do not address together. For someone interested in climate storytelling and advocacy in the Indian context, the six week structure is focused and relevant.
Key Takeaways
- GaiaLink’s Climate Communication Fellowship Cohort 2 closes on 2 September 2026. Applications are urgent.
- The program runs for six weeks in a hybrid format. Online weekday evenings and in-person weekend field visits across Delhi-NCR.
- Open to Indians aged 18 to 35 from any academic or professional background.
- Programme fee is INR 6999. This is not a funded fellowship.
- Fellows develop practical climate communication skills, including narrative framing, audience psychology, campaign strategy and greenwashing analysis.
- The program culminates in a full climate communication campaign that participants develop and present.
- This is Cohort 2 of a program launched in 2024.
- Induction begins 5 September 2026. Completion date is 17 October 2026.