Media Coverage of Climate Change in SAf: Lessons from Mozambique, Swaziland, and Zambia

This power point presentation, delivered at the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) 2009 Regional Policy Dialogue and Annual General Meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique, from August 31 to September 4 2009, shares insights from research conducted in Mozambique, Swaziland, and Zambia on media reporting and climate change, as well communities' knowledge of climate change. The presentation suggests that the level of coverage and knowledge are very low, and that there is a need for policy efforts and coordination to address mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

The research was conducted to: understand the extent of reporting (quality and quantity) of climate change issues by print and electronic media; explore constraints faced by journalists reporting climate change; assess knowledge and attitudes of journalists and editors as well as levels of awareness among farmers and communities; and establish policy responses to steer national, community, and sectoral responses.

The research, which included content analysis of 5 newspapers, suggests that:

• climate change reporting is low and of poor quality in all major media across the three countries;
• media owners/editors and journalists have little appreciation of climate change;
• most detailed climate change reports come from foreign news media/agencies or specialised agencies/experts;
• climate change reports are event-based not issue-based;
• journalism training curricula is inadequate to offer quality training to increase/improve the knowledge base of journalists on climate change;
• published articles/programmes contain inadequate information, detailed analyses, and testimonies from affected communities to influence change, and sometimes information is incorrect;
• there are few resource centres or sources of information for journalists;
• there are few publications/programmes specifically on climate change;
• newsrooms lack policies on climate change and environment reporting, generally;
• the rapport between journalists and climate change specialists is low; and
• there is a lack of systematic, planned, purposive, targeted, and coordinated communication strategies and support for awareness creation among different stakeholders.

The research also found that communities, like journalists, are not generally aware of climate changes and the impact that climate change can have on their lives. They often do not understand the scientific causes of changes in climate and few are able to link climate change to human activity. There is little knowledge of adaptation methods or information about how to access technology for adapting to climate change, and farmers complain of unreliable/inaccurate Early Warning information. Given the low reading culture among this population, local radio and television was pointed out as the most relevant form of media.

The presentation sets out three pillars of action as a way forward. First, there is a need to build capacity in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes; resources and infrastructure are also required. Second, there is a need for content to inform, educate, persuade, and encourage action on climate change. Lastly, there is a need for policy advocacy related to the environment, research, and strategies. It is key that actions are planned with goals and outcomes and that there is local participation. Sustainable media support, participatory monitoring, multi-dimension media/networks, and reliable funding are also needed.

For more information, contact:
Panos Institute Southern Africa
general@panos.org.zm