Climate Reporting in Africa

Africa is home to about 18% of the global population, but only accounts for less than 5% of cumulative greenhouse gas emissions. Despite Africa’s relatively low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report on impacts, adaptation, and vulnerabilities confirmed that Africa is emerging as the world’s epicenter of climate vulnerability and risks, with 9 out of the 10 countries most vulnerable and least resilient to climate change countries located in the continent .

Against this background the role of media is to inform the public, explain scientific concepts, humanize climate change, highlight solutions,support policy makers and the public to navigate challenges and take advantage of available solutions, as well as hold powerful actors to account, though for example, investigative journalism is extremely urgent. Yet, there is a defining shortage of media coverage on climate change from both local and international journalists.

While the scale of climate reporting is indeed improving in Africa, another critical aspect of climate reporting in Africa is who tells, and how the story is told. In other words, how the climate narratives are framed and communicated in Africa and abroad. This is important because how Africa's climate story is told can have significant implications on various levels, such as shaping public perceptions, local and global policies, international collaborations and partnerships, global solidarity and climate justice action. This underscores the need to prepare and equip African and Global journalists alike with the capacity and tools they need to provide contractive, fact based, and impactful reporting on climate change without fear or favor and without stripping Africans of their humanity and dignity.

Opening Speach:

• Vanessa Nakate, Uganda

Our speakers are Journalists from various countrie such as:

• Justice Baidoo, Ghana. Topic: Challenges in Climate Science in Africa / Access to information
• Mouhamadou Touré, Mali. Topic: The interconnection of climate change, biodiversity, and conservation
• Afy Bobyondo Malungu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Topic: Challenges in Climate Science in Africa / Access to information
• Mary Kasoka, Zambia. Topic: Challenges in Climate Science in Africa / Access to information
• Happy Mulolani, Zambia. Topic: The interconnection of climate change, biodiversity, and conservation
• Bernard Mwinzi, Kenya. Topic: The interconnection of climate change, biodiversity, and conservation
• KRA Akissi Marthe Bénédicte, Côte Ivoire.
• Andiswa Matikinca, South Africa.
• John Douglas Mutumba, Uganda
• Banna Sabally, The Gambia

The conference is hybrid. To join online please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cmSbmwPyStq5xEzNOUmugw

The conference is realised with the support of the , as well as the Stiftung Mercator, the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the Friedrich- Ebert Foundation.

About us:

The program is hosted by Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT) together with Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI)and Angelina Davydova, a renowned climate journalist who is also a member of the World Future Council and has been an observer in the UN Climate Change negotiation process since 2008.

Contact: Nyima Jadama, [email protected]

Vanessa Nakate, Climate Activist, and Opening Speaker at Climate Reporting in Africa Conference.

Vanessa gained global attention when she was cropped out of a photo by the Associated Press at the World Economic Forum in Davos, despite being part of a group that included prominent activists like Greta Thunberg. The 23-year-old Ugandan was the only person of color in the photo, leading her to question the erasure's implications in a heartfelt video, where she expressed that it felt like the erasure of an entire continent.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Stiftung Mercator, Neue Promenade 6, Berlin, Germany