The African media has been playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change, yet in developing countries like Nigeria and some part of African countries, climate change is poorly covered by local media and consequently the general public lack understanding of both the science and the policy implications of climate change.
The media’s role includes effective reporting and informing the nation, but the media can only do so effectively if they are well-trained and have the right knowledge on how to report on this complex challenge facing Nigeria and Africa.
- Efforts should be made to link tree plantation with brands of media to involve them in this campaign
- A few leading media houses should be made partner in this campaign to motivate others to join this noble cause
- Media houses should be requested to put tree plantation message in maximum number in their different types of programs
- Directors, producers and anchors should be fully briefed on the campaign with the request to them for publicity in their programs
- Meetings should be made with newspaper editors, owners and administrators to join this campaign by planting trees within their organizations and also promote it
- Massive coverage of the campaign should also be made in all media including newspapers, magazines, TV news bulletin
- Radio especially FM channels may be requested to on-air message on tree plantation for the public awareness of their listeners
- In quiz shows a gift of sapling should also be tagged with regular prize to promote the habit of planting trees
Also journalist should look at the following guide
- More stories that demonstrate how climate change affects men and women, old people and young people in different ways.
- More stories that explain the causes, including climate change, of events such as droughts and floods.
- More stories that explain the human side of climate change and show this is a ‘development’ and ‘people’ issue, just as much as an environmental one.
- More stories about the business and development opportunities that climate change present.
