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Media workshop on climate change
Jaipur based NGO CECOEDECON is organising a state level media sensitization workshop on climate change and emerging challenges on September 16, 2009 in Jaipur. The aim of the workshop is to highlight the need for serious and urgent reporting on climate change impact.
Kalyan Singh Kothari, OneWorld South Asia
On the sidelines of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer for a total commitment to ozone friendly practices by The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a workshop has been organised by Jaipur based NGO CECOEDECON to examine major perspectives on climate change today in the western Indian city on September 16, 2009.
Two UN organisations - the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have come forward to support the workshop.
With three months to go for the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen, media's role in influencing political will and building consensus is crucial. The magnitude of climate change impacts is huge and media needs to report it with seriousness and urgency.
The one-day event will focus on media sensitisation as the latter has a decisive role in informing people to take responsibility for the environment and future generations.
The workshop also aims to raise public awareness on effects of climate change on weather patterns, food crops, water supplies, health, energy etc.
The British Council will provide copies of four documentary films on environmental education and sensitisation produced by it as part of its Low Carbon Future Initiative for screening and distribution among the participants during the workshop.
The documentaries – produced in collaboration with the Earth Matters Foundation and the Television for Environment – are Climate’s First Orphans, The Weeping Apple Tree, A Degree of Concern, and A Green Agony. They cover the impact of global warming on coastal districts of Orissa and the apple growing belt in Himachal Pradesh and the unique ecosystem of Sunderbans.
Oxfam India’s music video Payenge aisa ek jahan on climate change, composed and sung by music band Euphoria and directed by Akbar and Azam Quadri will also be screened during one of the interactive sessions.
Speakers will provide guidelines to journalists to maintain focus on the scientific rational for action in their coverage of climate change and influence public opinion /dialogue through quality information on the subject.
Among those scheduled to address the workshop are Prof V.S. Vyas, Member of Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council, Rural Development Minister Bharat Singh, Dr Suman Sahai, Chairman Gene Campaign, Om Thanvi, Editor Jansatta, BBC India Editor Sanjeev Srivastava, Manisha Sharma, Oxfam India, Swati Sahi, Editor, OneWorld South Asia and Surjit Singh, Director, Institute of Development Studies.
Click here to read the agenda.
