Reporting and Storytelling on Climate Change

United Nations emphasize the role of Media

United Nations termed Climate Change as a war against nature. Journalism is now taking a central role to address the global challenge of Climate Change.

Mass communication from television and radio, to newspapers and magazines, to websites and social media, has the power of enhancing the scale and speed of information spread. Indeed journalists can influence the masses in a way that few other professions can. Not even digital technologies.

Whether it's in villages or cities, sports stadiums or war zones, politics or science journalists are creative and intelligent observers who dedicate themselves to the art of storytelling, as per United Nations-UN.

Unfortunately, the time of storytelling has also expired. Now is the time for actionable awareness with guaranteed success in combat against climate change We need new schools in the universities that would transform journalism to new heights: from storytelling mode to combat-ready mode.

UNESCO tells us that coverage of climate change should be able to save lives, formulate plans, change policy and empower people to make informed choices, fight climate change through carbon-neutral practices and prepare them for climate change. The role of schools of journalism in universities worldwide needs now to get transformed.

With digital technologies, it appears that now everyone is a journalist and hence it is important that serious users of digital media should follow Guidelines on Communication that would be useful for students and faculty in campus. (see: UN Climate communication guidelines.)

UN has recently provided guidance on journalism related to climate change. It advises that the Climate story goes beyond climate change. Local stories on action needed have to get more focus. In a handbook for journalists, UNESCO states that contrary to popular belief, journalists don't really need to put 'climate' in their headlines to generate actions on climate change.

There is a need to be guided by science in catalysing local, regional and global actions. 'Climate Justice' is not just about negotiating issues but it is about caring for the poor trapped in climate change.

Through informed reporting, journalists can shine a light on the wealth of activities that people are already undertaking to prepare for climate change.

On an international level, journalism can also bring regional stories to global audiences and help encourage the rich and powerful countries, their citizens and the companies based there, to act in solidarity with climate-vulnerable communities.

Not to be overly dramatic and make sure that the climate change story goes beyond climate change. Finally, the key advice is that 'develop trust' and 'share to care' among the reader-viewer-listener.

Smart Campus Cloud Network would not only actively promote the handbook and guidelines for the journalism students but would recommend including them in Core Group to launch ' Not Zero-Net Zero."

 Dr Rajendra Shende, 

Chairman - TERRE Policy Centre,

Former Director UNEP, IIT Alumni,

Prime Mover Smart Campus Cloud Network 

Coordinating lead author of IPCC.