Climate change: Bauchi NUJ, others built capacity of Journalists on environmental reporting

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

In an effort to help in mitigating the effect of climate change, Journalists has been over 30 Journalists in Bauchi have been trained on environmental reporting.

The training which was carried out at the Bauchi NUJ Secretariate on Monday was hosted by the African Climate Reporters in collaboration with the Global Environmental and Climate Conservation Initiative (GECCI).

The trainees were equipped with knowledge of how to carry out effective reportage on the effect of climate change on the environment and the survival of human beings and animals on the surface of the earth.

Themed, “Media Reporting on social Ecological resilience”, the training was also aimed at deepening the understanding of newsmen on the linkages between climate change, the environment and various health issues there in.

The Director of African Climate Reporters, Science Climatologist, Nurudeen Bello while speaking, said it was time for Journalists to pay priority attention to issues of environmental concerns with a view to reporting it.

He said due to the devastating impact of climate change on the lives of the people, the time has come for journalists to report more on what happens in the environment for possible redress by stakeholders and the authorities.

He encouraged Journalists to while reporting political issues, all pay attention to environmental challenges around them for possible reporting.

“We need to be empowered with the right skills, not only to tell political stories or any other issue but also to make the public become more aware of what is going on around their surroundings”, he avverred.

“For instance, Climate change can have a significant impact on a species’ breeding without causing physiological harm to the organism, but because of the changes to breeding grounds, birds have begun to breed at various periods, depending on the effects on the breeding grounds. Most notably, because some creatures are incapable of high-temperature respiration, an increase in water temperature can have an impact on their survival” he said

Also speaking, Abubakar Shafiu urged journalists to increase their reportage on environment in order for the public to take the environment seriously.

He added that by doing so, it will in turn, affect their health positively.

He pointed out that journalist owed it a duty to keep the public informed about what is going on in their environment and what they can do to protect it.

“As an organization, we reward journalists who take keen interest in reporting about their environment. When you report on the environment, you will be rewarded and awarded, and your family will be known”, he said

In his opening remarks earlier, the Bauchi state Chapter chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Umar Sa’id observed that as a result of the impact of climate change on humanity, the training could not have come at a better time than now.

Represented by the Assistant Secretary of the union, Adama Ibrahim, the NUJ Chairman noted that the public need to enlighten by Journalists on how to care for their environment through robust publicity.

Comrade Sa’id urged the participants to pay attention to training session to enable them know the environmental issues and why they should be reported.