Zubair Qureshi
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott expressed her concerns on Tuesday about the impact of climate change on Pakistan’s economy and infrastructure resulting in uncertain weather conditions, floods, droughts, melting of glaciers and smog etc.
In a video message played at a ‘Climate Change Journalism Workshop’ organized by the British High Commission at Marriott Hotel , she said recently, we have experienced serious climate-related challenges and it is the duty of the media to raise public awareness on such issues and keep highlighting their impact particularly on the lives of women and low income communities. journalism she said is at the heart of making a climate impact.
The practical training workshop was participated by over 100 journalists from 35 media outlets and research organizations and they learned from the experts an in-depth knowledge on complex climate issues.
They also learnt about change and nature protection issues and discussed how journalism was at the frontlines of climate change and explored the ways how to find real climate stories on the ground. The training workshop also involved the participants as they at the end pitched a number of ideas on which at least 10 stories could be built related to climate change and its impact on communities.
The journalists reflected on the importance of finding and telling stories of community action related to climate change going out to the field in search of climate stories. They also discussed how climate journalism could both help people understand the impact climate change has on them, and inspire them to take action.
They also discussed challenges that can exist around climate journalism like how to centre women and girls in climate stories, and made commitments to tell climate stories in future.
British High Commission’s Development Director Jo Moir said on the occasion, “We’re delighted to bring together journalists to discuss the critical issue of climate change and biodiversity loss. Journalists play a pivotal role in helping Pakistani people understand how climate change affects them. They can single handedly change perceptions and inspire change.”
Chief Guest at the event, SeemiEzdi former Chairperson of the upper house committee on climate change said, “Climate change is the defining issue of our time. We can either be the generation that let it happen, or the one that took bold steps to stop it. Climate change is not just a distant threat, but a present reality demanding urgent action.
Amar Guriro a senior journalist based in Karachi also shared his stories how during the coverage of 2010 floods he chanced to see the lives of the flood affectees from close quarters.
The government of Sindh, he said, was not even able to rehabilitate the affected communities of 2010 floods, then how can we expect they will rehabilitate the 2022 victims.
