The Media And Challenges of Climate Change

Recently, journalists from different parts of the world converged in Bonn, Germany, under the auspices of the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum to discuss issues related to climate change.

Also in attendance were scientists, policymakers and persons from the private sector.

The thrust of their efforts was to explore best ways that the media could assist to tackle the scientific challenges that had arisen from the report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The IPCC report, in the main, detailed the envisaged impact of climate change on various regions of the globe, especially the developing countries.

Environmentalists, however, fear that the dearth of timely and relevant information on climate change could negate public perception of the problem, while impeding swift responses from policy makers.

Such concerns, no doubt, explained the objective of the media forum.

Mr Kris Wilson, an environmentalist advised that reporters could best get accurate information on climate change if they used scientists as their primary sources.

He lamented that much information dished out by a section of the media on global warming, for instance, were often sensational, technical or too abstract for the understanding of the general public.

The result, he said, was that people were not assisted to make a connection between their everyday actions and the impact of climate change.

For Ms Naomi Oreskes, an American scientist, there existed a disconnect between the scientific community and the media, as in the U.S., simply because “journalists ignorantly and inaccurately report what scientists said”.

Oreskes said that the media in the U.S. treated climate change like “a pure scientific debate” whereas the issue was grounded ideologically.

“Global warming is no longer a debate; it’s a proven fact,” she said.

According to her, climate change sceptics are nothing but “contrarians”, who should not be taken seriously since their critiques lack any scientific base.

Bob Ward, another scientist based in UK, said that the British media often displayed ignorance on certain issues relating to climate change.

“There is always a problem on their part: that of distinguishing facts from fiction,” he said. While urging scientists to handle their findings and knowledge more responsibly, he noted that there had been instances of “grave mistakes by some climate change researchers”.

Ward suggested that the intergovernmental panel on climate change should be faster at correcting identified mistakes before any danger was done.

On his part, Alexander Kirby, a media trainer, said that it was vital for the media to be a little sceptical of pronouncements by scientists concerning the world’s climate.

“A serious journalist is always sceptical and climate issues should not be an exception,” he said. However, Kirby cautioned that all interests could never be satisfied by journalists, stressing that there were specific areas where the media could not afford neutrality.

“It’s not our job to inject a spurious, mythical balance into an unbalanced reality,” he said.

Erik Bettermann, the Director-General of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), said that in reporting climate change, the media’s role should be that of “chroniclers and interpreters” of the global problem.

Betternlann said that it was imperative for the media to influence governments, multi-nationals and individuals to take positive actions in relation to climate change.

This, he said, they could do by explaining the dangers and solutions to issues of climate change.

Christoph Lanz, the Director, Television Services of the Deutsche Welle, said that it was important for journalists to ensure accuracy and articulation when reporting the subject.

“We have to be solid and reliable, while validating all the different sources of information. “It’s not only about transporting other peoples voices or opinions but about investigating problems, solutions and bringing them to the viewers, listeners and users in an easy and understandable way,” he said.

Lanz tasked all stakeholders — members of the scientific community, politicians, businessmen and the media – – to interact and articulate a formidable strategy on best ways to increase public awareness on climate change.

“It is one of the most pressing issues of the 21 st century,” he said.

Mr Werner Hoyer, the German Minister of State in the Federal Foreign Office, urged journalists to report more on the opportunities presented by climate change, rather than becoming sensational with threats of imminent doom.

He suggested that more intensive training programmes should be organised for journalists, so as to put climate change at the front burner of global agenda and thus engender some mitigation strategies.

Mr Hermann Scheer, General Chairman, World Council for Renewable Energy, said that journalists must focus on the problems caused by climate change, so as to “bring home” the reality of the problem.

“The media need to change focus and begin to talk more about the opportunities and possibilities in climate change. People don’t want green-washing methods, they want green solutions, they want solutions to climate change,” he said.

At the end, all 1,500 participants from about 95 countries agreed that the media must re-define its agenda-setting roles so as to stimulate the adoption of a united approach in tackling the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change.

Francisca Oluyole