The Africa Make Big Polluters Pay (MBPP) Coalition has called on journalists to continue reporting on the climate crisis from an African perspective.
The coalition made the appeal during a two-day training session for journalists across the continent, which was attended by 51 climate journalists and advocates from eight African countries.
The training, themed ‘Communicating Climate Change: Realities, Impacts, and the Need for Action’, aimed to enhance climate change reporting and equip journalists with the knowledge and skills necessary for promoting environmental justice and accountability.
That event featured presentations and remarks by leading environment and climate change experts, including Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), who highlighted the importance of climate finance for both reducing emissions and helping African communities adapt to the changing climate.
Bassey emphasized the historical context of Africa being stripped of resources without reaping the benefits, underscoring the need for climate reparations for Africa and the Global South, which are disproportionately affected by the crisis.
Elvis Méndez, Managing Director of Corporate Accountability, stressed the urgency for collective action against climate change, highlighting the significant power that corporations hold over governments.
Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), noted that journalists play a crucial role in curating the climate change message, educating the people to mount pressure on policymakers and governments to take appropriate action.
The training also addressed the issue of disinformation that distorts realities and undermines public trust in institutions, with Esthappen S, Communications Coordinator at Demand For Climate Justice (DCJ), emphasizing the importance of accurate journalism in shifting public perception and promoting informed decision-making.
The coalition urged journalists to expose the realities of climate change issues and put into practice what they have learned, with Dawda Cham, Deputy Executive Director of Household Disaster Resilience Project (HELP-Gambia), encouraging journalists to be part of the solution.
By reporting on climate change from an African perspective, journalists can help mobilize communities and build resistance to the destruction of climate change and the environment.
