On June 12th 2023, a group of journalists and climate change experts came together to discuss the role of storytelling in driving climate adaptation measures in Africa. The event was organized by Acquire by Pin Africa, with the aim of diversifying the narrative pool so that climate information can become more accessible to African communities.
Despite contributing only 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa remains the most vulnerable region to the effects of climate change. However, many of the voices dominating climate change conversations are those of journalists from the Global North. The panelists discussed the importance of incorporating local communities into climate reporting and the role of journalists in leading the conversation on climate change.
The panel featured climate change experts, established climate and environmental storytellers, and a speaker from a climate action agency. Kiundu Waweru, an experienced environmental journalist, answered climate change questions from participants of Acquire’s ‘Fundamentals of Climate and Environmental Reporting’ e-course.
The discussion centred around how storytelling can be used to garner community support for climate action and drive climate adaptation measures. The panelists emphasised the significance of African voices in climate narratives and how improving the capacity of African journalists and storytellers to lead the conversation will help inform Africans of the current realities of the world’s climate condition.
Acquire by Pin Africa has prioritised teaching storytellers about climate change. The organisation has developed an e-course, ‘Fundamentals of Climate and Environmental Reporting,’ which provides aspiring African climate reporters with the foundational knowledge, skills, and resources they need to get started with climate reporting. Participants who successfully complete the course have the opportunity to publish their first climate story to a global audience via Pin Africa.
The event aimed to raise awareness of the importance of storytelling in driving climate action in Africa. By diversifying the narrative pool, climate information can become more accessible to African communities. As the most vulnerable region to the effects of climate change, it is crucial that African voices are included in climate narratives and that local communities are encouraged to lead climate adaptation measures.
If you’re interested in enrolling in Acquire’s ‘Fundamentals of Climate and Environmental Reporting’ e-course, you can find the registration link here. If you’re interested in learning more about the importance of African voices in climate narratives.
