ISLAMABAD: Climate change experts and journalists highlighted the need for clean, nature-based solutions to the problem of climate change and the need to sensitize journalists to promote responsible reporting on the impacts of climate change.
These issues were discussed and addressed during a workshop for journalists on August 2-3, 2022, titled “Reporting on Climate Change: Making the Invisible Visible” by the Center for Excellence in Journalism (CEJ) and the International Committee of the Red Cross. (ICRC).
Focused on developing the technical knowledge and skills of journalists, the aim of the workshop is to promote responsible and inclusive reporting on climate change locally. Climate change is deeply intertwined with local patterns of inequality and those in already marginalized or vulnerable situations face the disproportionate impacts of this crisis.
Shahjab Jilani, senior journalist and lead trainer for the workshop, said, “It’s important to put local communities at the center of our stories and highlight the domestic impacts of climate change that are missing from the mainstream media.”
The workshop was attended by 13 print, broadcast and digital journalists from various media houses and Malik Amin Aslam, former Minister of Climate Change, Dr. Nausheen Anwar, Director, Karachi Urban Observatory, Sardar Sarfaraz, Chief Meteorologist, Pakistan Met. Department, Dr. Sher Muhammad, Glaciologist at ICIMOD and Mass Tanveer, Head of Communication for HANDS Pakistan.
Commenting on the need for an integrated national response to climate change, former Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said, “We have turned cities of gardens into cities of concrete. There are many policies and practices that are negligent. We must move towards cleaner, nature-based solutions to this crisis.
The workshop allowed participants to learn more about the science of climate change, disaster risk reduction and management, the politics and science of global climate change, and progress in the government’s national response to this phenomenon.
Experts warned of the life-changing consequences of inaction on climate change and urged reporters to connect climate science with local priorities. “If we don’t limit the average temperature to 1.5 degrees by the end of this century, two-thirds of our glaciers will disappear and there will be no replacement,” said glaciologist at ICIMOD Dr. Sher said.
The workshop is part of the ICRC’s larger humanitarian reporting initiative in Pakistan. Launched in partnership with CEJ in 2017, it is a comprehensive training program that aims to foster a culture of responsible reporting on humanitarian issues through a series of thematic workshops, annual humanitarian reporting awards and fellowships.
.