Presidential Affairs Correspondent at Joy FM/JoyNews, Maxwell Agbagba, has been selected as one of five journalists to participate in an international climate reporting initiative organised by Clean Energy Wire (CLEW).

CLEW, widely regarded as Europe’s leading platform for collaborative and solutions-oriented climate and energy journalism, received applications from journalists across 34 countries before narrowing the selection to five reporters from different continents.

The selected journalists will cover the First International Conference for the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, scheduled to take place in Santa Marta in the last week of April.

The conference is being organized by the governments of Colombia and Netherlands, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, and civil society actors to chart pathways for accelerating a global transition away from fossil fuels.

According to CLEW, the initiative comes at a crucial time as progress within formal UN climate negotiations remains slow. The conference is expected to serve as a key milestone ahead of the upcoming COP31 in Antalya, Turkey.

A Global Team of Climate Journalists

Maxwell Agbagba joins a diverse cohort of journalists selected for their expertise in climate reporting.

They include:

• Ryan Bachoo from Trinidad and Tobago focuses on energy transition and climate justice
• Cecilia Butini, a Spain-based multi-platform reporter covering climate, health, and social issues
• Itzel Gómez Gurrola of Canal Once in Mexico
• Alma Ómarsdóttir is a Journalist for the National Broadcast Service in Iceland (RUV)

They will work alongside CLEW editors Milou Dirkx and Julian Wettengel as part of a cross-border newsroom reporting from the ground in Colombia.

The team is expected to provide in-depth coverage of the challenges and opportunities involved in transitioning away from fossil fuels, with a focus on solutions and regional perspectives.

Profile of Maxwell Agbagba

With nearly 15 years of experience, Maxwell Agbagba has built a reputation as a seasoned journalist with extensive field coverage across Africa and beyond.

He currently serves as Presidential Affairs Correspondent at Joy FM and JoyNews, where he also reports on climate and other social issues. He is also the host of Sunday Edition and was the co-host of Joy Prime Explore.

Agbagba has reported from conflict zones such as Somalia and covered major events, including the 2017 mudslide disaster in Sierra Leone. His work has also taken him to Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, Botswana, South Africa, Dubai, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and other countries.

In addition to his work in Ghana, he has contributed reports to international media platforms including Channels Television, TRT Afrika, and the BBC.

Maxwell Agbagba is also an alumnus of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network, a global initiative based at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. The programme focuses on improving the quality and depth of climate reporting worldwide.

He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in International Relations at the University of Ghana’s Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD).

Throughout his career, Agbagba has interviewed several high-profile figures, including recently Ghanaian President John Mahama, South African politician Julius Malema, and UK Minister of State for Armed Forces James Heappey.

His contributions to journalism have earned him recognition, including the Engineering Evangelism Award from the Ghana Institution of Engineers in 2017.