Climate change 'under-reported'

THE United Nations Education and Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Tanzania, in collaboration with the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Vice President's Office (VPO), and the media is planning to introduce a uniform curriculum on how to address climate change problems.

The Programme Officer for Communication and Information for Tanzania, The Commoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles, Mr Al- Amin Yusuph, said this in Mwanza on Sunday at the end of a three-day stakeholders consultation workshop which was held here.

Mr Yusuph said that the workshop was hosted by Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) where media stakeholders assessed the curricula of mainstream journalism schools.

They also reviewed the aspect of continuing professional development for in-service journalists in professional teaching and training about environmental matters.

''This initiative of assessing the teaching of environmental and climate change to journalists and other media professionals is part of the United Nations Joint Programme in Environment.
''It is in the eleven Joint Programme which is managed by the United Nations system in
Tanzania, in collaboration with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania,'' he said.

He said that the UN recognizes the importance of journalists in the initiative.

''Journalists and other media stakeholders are crucial in educating citizens for development, in particular in the area of environment and climate change issues,'' he said.

''The UN also recognizes the importance of environmental conservation for sustainable development. And for that purpose building the capacity of journalists is seen as an important aspect of the UN Joint Programme in environment,'' he added.

Mr Yusuph said the objectives of the proposed workshop are among other initiative that are aimed at assessing the need for enlightening journalists on environment and climate change reporting in mass communication schools.

''This includes the assessment of curriculums,'' he said.

He also mentioned other objectives as collecting of feedback from stakeholders on the strength of environment and climate change reporting in Tanzania.

''Media stakeholders will be able to identify areas of cooperation amongst stakeholders, journalists and communication schools in improving the status of environment teaching and reporting in Tanzania,'' he said.

''A standard curriculum can be used by Journalism schools to create a minimum standard setting instrument,'' he noted adding that the project intends to use 30m/-.

The stakeholders identified areas of improvement in the teaching of environmental journalism.

Some of the challenges identified include, the low depth of the teaching of environmental journalism, the lack of continuing professional development for in-service journalists and the low reporting of environment issues in the media houses.