NAIROBI, Kenya- The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has highlighted the crucial role the media needs to play in sensitising communities about climate change.
MCK Director of Media of Training and Development Victor Bwire observed that journalists must be at the forefront of informing and educating the public, raising awareness, and issuing warnings about environmental impacts.
Research indicates that adequate media coverage can significantly shape public understanding and perceptions of climate change, highlighting the urgency of the issue and mobilising community action.
“MCK and other partners have been focusing on climate change-related issues because they are global issues. However, most countries are mobilising this vice, yet journalists have not taken this issue seriously,” Bwire said.
How the Kenyan media can support communities in climate change adaptation
Addressing journalists at a Naivasha hotel during a two-day training on Climate Justice, Bwire observed that climate change has hurt all sectors of the economy.
“Media is a tool of education which puts policymakers on toes to take accountability. Kenya has a Climate Change Act of 2016, but a missing link exists. We need to see how communities can own the government and other organisations’ interventions to their advantage regarding adaptation,” Bwire explained.
In his own words, the MCK director went on:
“For instance, if someone has taken the organisation trees or mangroves, they need to benefit from it. And it’s only journalists who will put the policymakers on toes to ensure that we mainstream climate change issues.”
How Indigenous communities can participate in climate change adaptation
Bwire reiterated that communities must recognise the need to join these climate change-related activities.
“We also need to see the importance of Indigenous communities in climate change adaptation, which is recognised as important in the interventions that we are doing. We need to see how the communities can contribute to this debate,” said Bwire.
Bwire said that Kenya has many laws, and journalists must understand them to share them with communities and empower them.
“We need to sensitise our communities to understand all climate change issues. Climate Change is our everyday life. If we can have mainstream discussions around climate change, we will have food security in the country. It should be part and parcel of our lives,” he added.
He further said that the media should highlight climate financing and sensitise communities on how best they can benefit from it.
“Journalists should be the connecting link to break information from up to down regarding climate change. Counties need to develop climate change laws and policies to benefit from funds like FLOCCA, but again, at the end of the day, we need accountability,” he added.
