Countries across Africa face an escalating environmental and climate crisis, with communities increasingly impacted by extreme weather events, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and the adverse effects of extractive industries. These and other challenges have far-reaching consequences for livelihoods, security, and sustainable development.
Robust, fact-based, independent news and information are essential to addressing these challenges. Yet across Africa, journalists covering critical environmental and climate-related stories face attacks, abuse, and harassment. These attacks – including physical threats and violence, legal harassment, censorship, access restrictions, and targeted disinformation fuelling mistrust in the media. This is impeding the public’s right to news and information about the impact of environmental and climate-related issues, as well as the search for sustainable solutions
This webinar, “The Big Why,” will delve into the fundamental reasons why robust and impactful climate and environmental journalism is not merely a niche interest but an indispensable pillar of an informed society and a sustainable future.
This webinar will therefore explore the state of climate and environmental journalism in the region, identifying the needs and gaps, and opportunities for multistakeholder collaboration among national, regional, and global civil society groups.
This webinar builds on IPI’s newly launched program aimed at supporting environmental and climate journalism in Africa.
IPI will provide interpretation for French and Portuguese-speaking participants.
Moderator: Marystella Simiyu, Africa Senior Legal Officer, IPI
Speakers
- Tulani Ngwenya, Associate Journalist, Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism
- Lydia Kembabazi, Africa Program Manager, IPI
- Ibrahima Yakubu, Founder of the African Climate Reporters
- Farah Wael, Advocacy and Engagement Director, Women in News
Target Audience
Journalists, policymakers, environmental organizations, regional and international human rights bodies, academic institutions, and anyone interested in the intersection of media and environmental issues are invited to this webinar. Stakeholders from Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, South Africa, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Rwanda are especially encouraged to attend.
Key Objectives:
- Highlight the specific and increasing dangers faced by climate and environmental journalists in Africa.
- Provide a platform for journalists who have experienced attacks to share their stories and challenges.
- Demonstrate why a unified, multi-stakeholder approach is essential for effective protection and promotion of environmental journalism.
- Discuss practical strategies and initiatives for enhancing the safety and security of environmental journalists.
- Inspire and facilitate partnerships for future joint advocacy and support mechanisms