Climate Action
Journalists and media houses in Africa have been called upon to push boundaries in reporting and strategically position the continent by advancing African narratives on climate change.
Speaking during the launch of the African Climate Change and Environmental Reporting (ACCER) Awards at Chuka University, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) Executive Director Mithika Mwenda called on journalists to connect with global discourse and advance an awakening that compels African leaders to act in unison to demand accountability for climate financing.
In the event, which also hosted the closing ceremony for the Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice, Mithika challenged journalists to escalate their efforts in exposing gaps in accountability and transparency in the spirit of pushing parties to climate action, and ensure funds allocated for climate change adoption reach those who need them the most.
“The power of journalism lies in its ability to shape narratives and transform society. Through ACCER awards, we celebrate journalists who dare to ask hard questions and seek out hidden answers. By challenging journalists to explore these narratives, we aim to illuminate the realities that define how effective financing mechanisms should look like,” he said.
Through journalism, PACJA believes the media can expose the hypocrisy of developed countries in meeting their commitments, areas where Africa is shortchanged in access to climate finance and inefficiencies that constrain access.
“Journalism is a pivotal force in shaping policy and directing attention to where it is most needed. It compels policy makers, stakeholders and the global community to re-evaluate their strategies and commitments to a more equitable distribution of resources. Let us continue to champion the stories that need to be told and support the journalists who tell them, fostering a world of equity and justice in climate action”, underscored the PACJA Executive Director.
In the just concluded Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice organized by PACJA in collaboration with Chuka University, journalists were trained to add impetus to climate justice reporting across Africa as the next agents to carry forward the torch of accountability and equity in climate adaptation efforts.
Since inception in 2013, the award has grown into a cornerstone of motivating, sustaining and rewarding excellence in environmental and climate journalism globally and the final awarding ceremony is expected to take place in Abidjan-Ivory Coast during the Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa alongside Africa Ministerial Conference on Environment.
During the closing ceremony, Chuka University Vice Chancellor Prof. Henry Mutembei noted that the event had impacted more young people to interact and understand issues such as climate change and its impact on local and global levels, saying the trainees will impact change on climate issues in their countries.
“We are excited to graduate summer school students who were hosted in this institution for two weeks. The team has been given instruments of power to negotiate climate justice globally through the integration of diverse thinking,” Prof. Mutembei said.
Martha Bekele on behalf of Development Initiatives encouraged the participants to push for advocacy in producing data and evidence in the fight for climate justice, highlighting that they had been trained to recognize injustice in climate finance, global health, gender and many more matters of climate.
“I implore you to ignore naysayers and stand up for climate justice. You came here to challenge the global order. Fight for climate justice and ignite Africans to action and activism,” she emphasized. The two-week event brought together more than 300 participants from over 80 countries across the world.
“It was a great opportunity to meet people from different countries and exchange different cultures and know what steps to take in climate action. We want to be part of the solution because our planet needs us. We want climate justice and will take action for it. It was a great opportunity to get knowledge through the sessions related to climate justice and how we can implement it in our countries,” said Hadeer Ahmed, a participant from Egypt.