Transcript The Media in Climate Sustainable Development

The Media in Climate Sustainable
Development
By Patrick Luganda-(Chairman)
NETWORK OF CLIMATE JOURNALISTS IN
THE GREATER HORN OF AFRICA
(NECJOGHA)
Media Role
We are building on the Traditional Pillars
of the basic global media roles to:
 Inform
 Educate
 Entertain
The truth is the common denominator.
And, the truth will set us free. Report
responsibly
Role of the Media
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Achieving successful education by the
media requires to win:
Public Trust &
Public Confidence
This creates the Foundation for an
effective Public Communication of
Science and Technology
The Various Media
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Print-Newspapers, Newsletters, magazines
Radio-Fm Stations, National Radio, Community Radio
Television-National, International Channels
Internet-World Wide Web
ICT- Information Communication Technology
Mass Meetings-Local Communities
Brochures-Easy to read and understand
Posters-Strategically located
Billboards-Communication linked to advertising
Theatre, plays and video shows
Situation Analysis
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Climate reporting challenging
Climate information not reaching
the intended recipients
The media has been responding to
crisis
Lack critical mass climate journalists
more science/media interaction to
build capacity for both sectors
Media in COF Process3
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Propose Africa Climate Media Initiative to
consolidate fragmented media communication
efforts currently supported by WMO, ACMAD,
ICPAC, SADC-DMC, CLIMDEV, IRI, NOAAOGP, IPFCC, International Climate centers,
NHMS in RA1, NGOs etc.
Need to develop a comprehensive Africa
media strategy document for the next 5-10
years
Climate Communication Concerns
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Seasonal forecast dissemination
Climate vulnerability
Climate Change Communication
Climate Change Adaptation
Communication in local languages
Application of Climate Information
Disaster Risk Communication
Socio-economic benefits
Media Needs
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Good stories with all the attributes built
around the 5W and H
Powerful stories well researched and
professionally assembled
Consumable material for our varied audiences
Creating an atmosphere of confidence, trust
leading to acceptance for public benefit
Sustained Development
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Media enriches the knowledge to do things
better.
Disaster risk reduction
Dissemination of climate information enables
better agriculture practices and increases
productivity
Improves public health awareness and enables
public expenditure savings
Savings in construction, power industry
generation, transport systems
Sustained Development
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Educated public is a permanent
achievement
Informed public able to make improved
decision making at all levels
Dissemination of climate information
leads to informed public debate
Better acceptance and appreciation of
climate information for development
Sustained Development
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Appreciation of climate information
leads to better utilization & adaptation
strategies
Projected Climate change disruptions
especially in fragile economies can be
managed by societies learning basics of
climate change through the media
Factoring climate change information
healthy for sustained planning of
economies, governments etc
Water Supply
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A major concern for survival.
Water availability determines the food on the
table, the health of the communities and
survival of livestock
Water quality determines child mortality and
this is very critical in Africa including urban
areas
Water leads to conflicts and may lead to
tribal deaths in pastoral communities like the
Karamoja and Masaai clusters in East Africa
Water Supply2
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Availing information on water flow in river
basins may prove essential for survival of
thousands of water dependent people
Advance information needs to be made
available to decision makers well in time
Enables planning for irrigation, hydro power
generation, construction and infrastructure
projects, production etc
Humanitarian relief planning
Climate Change-Urban
Pressures
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Rural-urban migration causing pressures on
the facilities in the cities
Survival off the land more difficult with
worsening climate change. Leading to
migration to towns
City authorities hard pressed to cope even
with things like garbage control
The media can play an important role in
raising awareness and developing strategies
to cope with the increased pressures.
Climate Change-Food Security
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Africa to increase rapid food
production, timely climate
information needed
Leads to informed decision at
productive windows of
opportunity
Land selection, land use
preparation
Climate Change-Food Security
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Seed selection, preparation or
acquisition
Input decisions including loans
Water for production application
(irrigation)
Food Security
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Using window of opportunity theory
undertake:
Timely planting
Fertilizer application (for soil enrichment)
Timely weeding
Diseases and pest control management
regimes
Timely Harvesting
Post harvest losses reduction/control
Storage for future utilization
Food Security and Marketing
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Armed with Climate information important
decisions can be made on amounts of food to
store for food reserve and excess for sale.
Good food forecast estimates can be made to
exploit market opportunities
Opportunities exist to turn challenges into
wealth. We can turn Africa into a credible
food basket using climate information
together with market information analysis etc
The African Media Lessons
What Has Happened?
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The media in Africa has started working
closely with the Climate Science Community
to spearheaded the timely dissemination of
climate information
The critical mass of reporters still wanting
Specialized beats absent
The COP meetings at the global level, several
regional meetings and Climate Outlook
Forums are major interaction for the media
and the scientists.
What…..?
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GHA Media is advocating for a global
drive for the media to play a more
active role in climate information
dissemination
When a handful of journalists in the
region came together in The Network of
Climate Journalists in the Greater Horn
of Africa-NECJOGHA- it gave birth to
“Climate Journalism”, “Climate
Journalist.” Still developing
Impact Analysis So far
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Has the media dissemination been
effective?
Have the media stories influenced
decisions at various levels?
Have we become better reporters?
Has the interaction created more
informative media houses in the GHA?
How has this relationship enriched the
quality of journalists in the GHA?
Impacts
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From analyzing the past relationship we can
map the way forward.
The media needs to look far beyond the
present situation to be able to have a more
meaningful, effective and beneficial Public
Communication of Climate Science
Information
Africa has been in the forefront of the RCOFs
process and is likewise at the helm of building
a vibrant and responsive Climate Media. It
needs our concerted support
Way Forward-Proposals
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Regular Climate Communication events
Impact Studies of media communication
Document impacts of climate variability
and climate change in Africa
Media persons need to write
international articles on climate change
and adaptation to give the world the
true African perspective