Africa’s Ministerial-level body on environment should prioritize strengthening climate and environmental journalism
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Africa’s Ministerial-level body on environment should prioritize strengthening climate and environmental journalism – ipi.media
IPI calls on policymakers to prioritize the indispensable role of climate and environmental journalism in achieving the continent’s environmental goals. From July 14-18, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme ‘Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future’ Quality reporting on climate and the environment is also beneficial to member states in various ways, including to national security, trade and investment, and food security, among others. Yet across Africa, journalists covering critical environmental and climate-related stories face attacks, abuse, and harassment. These attacks – including physical threats and violence, legal harassment, censorship, access restrictions, and targeted disinformation fuelling mistrust in the media – impede the public’s right to news and information.
From July 14-18, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme ‘Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future.’ The conference, which marked its 40th anniversary, informs Africa’s positions and goals regarding climate and the environment.
Journalists reporting on climate and the environment provide critical news and information about issues often affecting the most vulnerable populations, from extreme weather events, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and the adverse effects of extractive industries. These and other challenges have far-reaching consequences for livelihoods, security, and sustainable development.
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Robust, fact-based, independent journalism is essential to addressing these challenges. The media plays an indispensable role in informing the public, holding governments and businesses accountable, and driving meaningful action and policy responses. Quality reporting on climate and the environment is also beneficial to member states in various ways, including to national security, trade and investment, and food security, among others.
Yet across Africa, journalists covering critical environmental and climate-related stories face attacks, abuse, and harassment. These attacks – including physical threats and violence, legal harassment, censorship, access restrictions, and targeted disinformation fuelling mistrust in the media – impede the public’s right to news and information as well as the search for sustainable solutions.
“To truly tackle the environmental crises that Africa is battling with, we must collectively champion the safety and security of journalists who contribute to an informed public and accountable leadership through their climate and environmental reporting,” said Nompilo Simanje, IPI’s Africa Advocacy and Engagement Lead.
AMCEN is recognized as ‘Africa’s foremost ministerial-level body on environmental governance, providing political guidance and regional leadership to promote sound environmental management and sustainable development practices in all member states.’
As one of the priorities for the 2025 conference also focused on leveraging the upcoming G-20 to address Africa’s environmental challenges, IPI urges the Ministers to include safeguarding climate and environmental journalism as one of their key priorities for the G-20 and the rest of the continent.
Specifically, we urge AMCEN to :
Recognize the importance of reliable information for climate action and the role of the media in facilitating access to genuine and truthful information.
Prioritize the safety and security of journalists, including against disinformation attacks aimed at undermining their reporting.
Support efforts to create an enabling legal and operational environment where journalists can carry out their work without fear of reprisal, especially through SLAPPS by multinational corporations and other businesses.
Strengthen mechanisms for ensuring journalists have unhindered access to information, data, and relevant stakeholders, fostering transparency and accountability in environmental governance.
Strengthen and support efforts urging national authorities to improve accountability for harassment and violence against journalists covering climate and the environment.