MEDIA COVERAGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN SAf: Lessons from Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia

1. MEDIA COVERAGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN SAf: Lessons from Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia FRANK M KAYULA REGIONAL MANAGER ENRM PANOS INSTITUTE SOUTHERN AFRICA

2. THEME TRUE CONTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

3. Media Background in SAf Media landscapes vary across SA- openness/liberal policies to media restrictions (ownership, control) Insignificant investment in media – technology, infrastructure, capital, credit, grants Most media resource-poor - funding, materials Limited training in communication for development – few institutions offer specialized training Proliferation of community media – radio, newspapers, private, church, agency owned

4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To establish extent of reporting (quality and quantity) of climate change issues by print and electronic media, and the constraints faced by journalists To determine the knowledge and attitudes of journalists and editors in reporting climate change and climate change adaptation To establish levels of awareness of adaptation to climate changes among farmers and communities To establish policy responses to steer national, community and sectoral responses - for both mitigation and adaptation to climatic change

5. Summary of media coverage for selected print media

6. Percentage coverage of CC by copy

7. KEY FINDINGS ON MEDIA HOUSES • Climate change reporting is low and of poor quality in all major media across the three countries • Media owners/editors have little appreciation of climate change, and don’t view CC as worth (prime) space/airtime • Most detailed climate change reports from foreign news media/agencies or specialised agencies/experts • Climate change reports event-based not issue-based • Journalism training curricula inadequate to offer quality training to increase/improve knowledge base of journalists on climate change

8. Findings Cont… Published articles/programmes contain inadequate information, detailed analyses, testimonies from affected communities to influence change and sometimes incorrect details Lack of resource centres or sources of information for journalists Lack of publications/programs specifically on CC No newsroom policies on CC and environment reporting generally There is lack of systematic, planned, purposive, targeted and coordinated communication strategies and support for awareness creation among different stakeholders

9. 2. JOURNALISTS’ KNOWLEDGE & ATTITUDES TOWARDS CC REPORTING There is inadequate knowledge of CC and CCA among journalists Rapport between journalists and CC specialists is low and negative - mistrust Journalists have almost Zero incentives and resources to write on climate change issues Some journalists, like editors, don’t regard CC stories as saleable ; CC not priority issue Journalists lack credible central sources of information for their stories

10. 3. Community awareness and access to CC information & technology • Communities were generally aware about changes in climate/weather over the years or within season and impact on their lives • Communities didn’t fully understand the ‘scientific’ causes of changes in climate; ‘some attributed changes to God’. Few linked CC to human activity, including their own. • Knowledge of ‘modern’ adaptation methods low. Have own ways of managing but these ways increasingly inadequate • Low information about and access to technology for adapting to climate change – germplasm, implements, etc; Farmers complained of unreliable /inaccurate Early Warning information; Most only short-term forecasts • Mass media – Radio – most accessible and major source; Local Radio/TV most preferred • Low reading culture among communities

11. 4. POLICY & INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES • Two of the countries - Mozambique, Zambia - had draft policies to deal with climate change • Among developing countries in SADC only Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia had NAPAs by early 2008. • The policies were said to be inadequate to fully address climate change issues ; ‘not multi-sectoral, multi-dimensional’, lack resources, e.g. funding • Complaints about lack of consultation at design stage • Poor coordination & synergies on climate change– national and regional levels; SADC has no policy/strategy at present. • Lack of policy-practice interface

12. In Zambia and Mozambique most of the information in papers was quotations of Political leaders • In Zambia less than only 2% content was derived directly from CC Experts • In Swaziland most of the information was on disasters like drought, floods, death

13. Triangle of relationship

14. Approaches/Purposes

15. Eg Development Cartoon works

16. Effective response & impact • Knowledge/skills/Attitudes • Resources • Infrastructure/Tech • Equipment • Inform • Educate (innovations) • Persuade • Action • Environment • Research • Strategies • Planned- goals, outcomes • Systematic • Interactive/Local • Participatory • Sustainable media support • Participatory monitoring • Multi-dimension media/networks • Reliable funding

17. THANK YOU MERCI OBRIGADA