African Journalists have a role in climate justice advocacy

Kigali, Rwanda June 23 2022: African journalists attending a media training on the sidelines of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwnada have acknowledged that their contributions to the climate change advocacy depends on the quality of stories they publish.

Isaiah Esipisu, the coordinator of the pan African Media for climate change (PAMACC)said the influential role the media plays in shaping public attitudes on a wide range of issues – climate change included so much depends on the quality of work they put into gathering the stories.

“The media has a huge role in advocating for climate action. It provides a voice to affected communities, educating communities so that they are cushioned against the impacts of climate change. Similarly, it links citizens with policy makers and promote informed and meaningful discussion about climate change mitigation and adaptation,” he said.

He noted that effective climate action therefore needs improved knowledge base of the public about climate change and equipping them with skills for climate action. This is something which the media can help achieve.

In his presentation, Julius Mbatia, a climate finance expert from the ACT Alliance, said Africa’s special needs and the role of pan-African journalists in following the conversations on climate finance.

He said the issues in climate finance requires development of and positing quality arguments around the need for the west to honor commitments – the USD 100 Billion adaptation finance pledges.

“Besides the difficulty in accessing funds, low capacity to formulating acceptable projects and lack of cashflow coordination, Africa experiences imbalance between adaptation and mitigation finance. Current flows are insufficient for near term adaptation needs,” Julius added.

Climate finance stands at only US$78.9 billion 2018 (OECD 2020). According to Oxfam analysis on OECD 2017 72B figure shows finance is only USD 228 once over-reporting, interest accrued and loan payments are considered.

Further speaking, the training experts and facilitators such as Landry Mushiga (EU Awareness Campaign Expert, Burundi), John Muchangi (The Star Newspaper, Kenya), Duncan Mboya (Xinhua News Agency), Prof Kioko Ireri (Communication Expert), and Isaiah Esipisu (PAMACC) explored how journalists could use the power of the media to solidify social movement and climate justice.

“First of all, understand your audience in this case we are targeting voices of women, youth and marginalized communities among others. Next, select the medium of communication – this could be newspapers, TV, social media or community radio,” Isaiah Esipisu continued.

According to UNESCO, community radios can steer behavioural change through sustained dialogues. The medium has proved its relevance in situations of disaster and fighting the aftermath of the global health pandemic, especially in remote areas. It can also be a very effective tool to achieve climate positive action by sharing good practices, reaching the local communities on the issues of importance.

Additionally, a study conducted by Centre for international Research on Forestry to test the influence of radio programs on climate change knowledge further recommends use of radio programs to increase knowledge and induce behavioral changes with regard to climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Isaiah admonished the journalists to make use of music for storytelling, advocacy and documentary.

He quoted that according to a recent study by Helen M. Prior, “a music psychologist at the University of Hull in the UK, which was published in the SAGE journal points out that Musicians and music psychologists are acutely aware of the power of music and its ability to influence our emotions, moods, thoughts, wellbeing, identity, and behaviour towards others.”

Jennifer Nkurunzinza, PACJA, called on the various stakeholders in climate reports to develop a more robust storytelling system to mitigate and reduce risks associated with ambiguity. She also called on the participants to collaborate across borders as the harness support and funding openings.

In their separate contributions, the journalists called on climate change and environmental reporters across the continent to always synergise and build capacity to translate quality, robust information to people living at downstream.

The media representatives reaffirmed that the demand of Africans to be considered as a region with specific needs and circumstances is still valid, and pledged to mobilize all resources to ensure that this is the case at COP27.

The journalists are convened on  by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, a consortium of more than 1000 organisations from 48 African countries that brings together a diverse membership drawn from grassroots, community-based organizations, faith-based Organizations, NGOs, trusts, foundations, indigenous communities, farmers and pastoralist groups with a shared vision to advance a people-centered, right-based, just and inclusive approach to address climate and environmental challenges facing humanity and the planet..

The journalists are in Kigali to delve in-depth to views of the major discourses in climate justice globally and position of Africa on a number of matters related to climate negotiation, specifically the discussions at the 27th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate change.

– By Jiata Ekelle, Knowledge Manangement and .Extesnsion officer CDevNet