Experts train African Journalists to expose climate Injustice, demand action

By Samuel Ogunsona

Some 50 journalists across Africa have completed a training programme aimed at exposing a string of injustice associated with Climate Change.

The Africa Make Big Polluters Pay (MBPP) Coalition organised the two-day training session for journalists from across Africa, focusing on challenges of climate change reporting.

The hybrid training held on April 22-23, brought together over 50 journalists and advocates from at least eight African countries, as well as expert resource persons from various countries.

The training aimed to equip journalists with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote environmental justice and accountability.

Olamide Martins, Senior Climate Change Programme Manager at Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), emphasized the importance of amplifying African voices in the fight against climate change.

“Our aim is to amplify the voices of Africans and advocate for more significant climate action,” Martins stated.

Elvis Méndez, Managing Director of Corporate Accountability, highlighted the significant power corporations hold over governments. “We are living in precarious times,” Méndez said.

“Corporations must be held accountable for their actions.”

He emphasized the need for collective action against climate change, noting that most pollution is generated in the Global North, while the Global South suffers the most.

Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), discussed the importance of climate finance for reducing emissions and helping African communities adapt to climate change.

“For centuries, Africa has been stripped of resources without reaping the benefits,” Bassey said. He reiterated the urgent need for international cooperation and support for African nations in their fight against climate change.

“We must ensure that those most affected are given the support and resources needed to adapt and thrive,” he added.

Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA, emphasized the crucial role journalists play in curating the climate change message.

“We need journalists to be able to educate the people to mount pressure on policymakers and government to be able to take appropriate action,” Oluwafemi said.

Kristin Salvage, Director of Media and Press at Corporate Accountability, advised journalists to use first-person storytelling and have a clear message and action.

“You might be telling stories to people, kids, maybe not just children in numbers, but you would be hired to face the atmosphere of the voice response,” Salvage said. Esttappen S, Communications Coordinator at Demand For Climate Justice (DCJ), underscored the importance of accurate journalism in shifting public perception and promoting informed decision-making.

“Accurate journalism is vital to shift public perception and promote informed decision-making,” Esthappen asserted.

The MBPP Coalition renewed its call for just climate reparations for Africa and the Global South, which bear the brunt of the climate crisis. Dawda Cham, Deputy Executive Director of Household Disaster Resilience Project (HELP-Gambia), urged journalists to expose the realities of climate change issues and practice what they have learned in their organizations.

As the climate crisis continues to affect African communities, the role of journalists in promoting environmental justice and accountability becomes increasingly important. The MBPP Coalition’s training session serves as a crucial step in empowering journalists to effectively report on climate change and advocate for climate action.