Environment
Over 1,000 journalists from across the country are set to benefit from a specialized training program on climate reporting by December 2024, utilizing the newly developed climate change reporting training module.
The curriculum, developed by the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry and the German Development Organization (GIZ), aims to enhance coverage of climate change in the country.
Speaking at the climate change reporting training workshop for editors, reporters, and climate change actors in Kisumu County on Thursday, Kennedy Ouma, the Advisor at the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) and Communications Expert at GIZ, stated that the manual would facilitate professional coverage of climate stories.
Ouma noted that the partners had held forums in Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa counties to conduct a needs assessment survey, review, and validate the draft document. This process will culminate in developing a training module on climate change reporting by the end of June 2024.
A section of journalists drawn from different media houses in Kisumu County take part in a climate change reporting training workshop held in Kisumu County on Thursday. Photos by Chris Mahandara/KNA
“We are training the journalists as trainers of trainers (ToT) to disseminate the information to their colleagues. This approach ensures the knowledge is passed from one individual to another, resulting in well-informed reporters from this region who can tackle climate and environment stories professionally,” Ouma explained.
The initiative, he added, has so far identified a team of 150 beneficiaries composed of journalists, editors, and climate change actors from Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nairobi counties. These participants will undergo the initial training phase before the program is expanded to reach the targeted 1,000 reporters by December.
“Out of the 150 trained journalists, we challenge each to identify at least 10 fellow journalists to mentor and help them become proficient climate change reporters,” Ouma stated. At the same time, he urged the journalists to identify and join available professional groups to network with colleagues, enhance their skills, and specialize in reporting on diverse news segments.
Meanwhile, KEG CEO Rosalia Omungo, in her remarks at a recent validation workshop for the Climate Change Reporting Training Curriculum in Nairobi, noted that the manual is designed to help journalists understand the science of climate change reporting.
“This document will help us address misinformation, misreporting, and misrepresentation of scientific facts in climate change reporting,” said Omungo.