CJID Trains 20 Journalists on Environment, Health, and Climate Change Reporting in Abuja
Twenty researchers and journalists across different newsrooms in Nigeria have been equipped with learning in understanding the nexus between environment, health, and climate change to improve their research outputs and reporting on environment, health and climate change.
The two-day training was organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development to build the capacity of journalists and deepen their understanding of the linkages between climate change, the environment, and various health issues.
The training was part of its activities to mark this year’s World Health Day, themed “Our planet, Our health”.
Speaking at the training, the Deputy Director, Development Practice at CJID, Akintunde Babatunde, said with the devastating impact of climate change on the health of the people, the time is now for journalists and researchers to be empowered with the right skills to not only tell the stories of vulnerable groups who are facing the impact but also to assign responsibility and hold governments accountable.
Annually, the World Health Organisation (WHO) sets a day aside to create awareness on specific health themes to highlight a priority area of concern, and this celebration conceived by the WHO is also actively celebrated by its member nations to raise particular issues of interest on selected themes in respect of those member states.
This year’s theme focused on the urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create a society focused on the well-being of both the people and their environment.
The training of Journalists is the CJIDs approach to entrenching awareness of the interconnectivity between the health and wellness of the people, and that of the environment in Nigeria especially within the media and research community of practice. The unique agenda-setting role of the media makes them critical to advancing advocacy on the subject.
Seyifunmi Adebote, an environmentalist and a participant at the training opined that the training would set the pace to consequentially report the various health and climate change issues.
He said: “In the last 5 years of working around climate change and environmental policies across Nigeria and beyond, it has always been clear that there are strong connections between ‘Health’ and ‘Climate Change,’ but I haven’t had the opportunity to write about this.
He noted that one thing stood out for him during the sessions, “the brilliance of the resource persons – all young, experienced, and knowledgeable experts. I was intrigued with how they practically explained the strong connection between health, climate change, and environmental issues in Nigeria, with a focus on how we can see similar issues through different lenses and write about them”.
Mr Adebote said he is excited to be a part of the selected journalists and looking forward to sharing his story ideas as well as listening to the ideas that will be shared by other colleagues during the story lab session.
Another participant, Vivian Chime, a climate change reporter at The Cable, said the training has rekindled her passion and inspired great story ideas to pursue.
She further noted that: “The facilitators are very detailed in their explanations and take the time to draw up connections between climate change, environment, health, governance, and everyday life. The training is really all-encompassing, and the knowledge I’m gaining is one I know that would help me not just in my climate reporting but in my entire journalism career.
Ms Vivian stated that she loves “the level of great minds who are here for the training and the meaningful conversations on the way forward for Africa as it relates to climate change and sustainability.
“It is truly a masterclass, and I appreciate CJID for putting this together” she concluded.
Just like Mr Adebote, Abdulkareem Mojeed, who reports for Premium Times, said, “the training was an eye-opener on telling stories that clearly show how Climate change manifestation affects the environment and its health implications on the ecosystems to be told.
“With the knowledge I have acquired, I hope to churn out exquisite stories that would show how the aforementioned elements (climate change, environment, and health) influence the floral and fauna of our ecosystems for the public good”, Mr Mojeed explained.
After the training, the journalists will be supported with story grants to produce insightful and data-driven analyses on climate change, environment, and health and how these issues are interdependent.