NGO trains journalists on environment, health and climate change reporting

The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has organised a training session for 20 researchers and journalists in Nigeria on understanding the connection between environment, health, and climate change.

The two-day training, which held on April 20 and April 21, was part of CJID’s activities to mark the 2022 World Health Day themed, ‘Our Planet, Our Health’.

Akintunde Babatunde, deputy director at CJID, said the devastating impact of climate change on people’s health necessitated the training.

He said it is the time for journalists and researchers to be empowered with the right skills to not only tell the stories of vulnerable groups who are facing the impact of climate change, but also to hold governments accountable.

Vivian Chime, TheCable’s climate change reporter who was a participant, said the training has rekindled her passion for great story ideas to pursue.

“The facilitators were very detailed in their explanations and took the time to draw connections between climate change, environment, health, governance, and everyday life,” she said.

“I loved the level of great minds who were present for the training and the meaningful conversations on the way forward for Africa as it relates to climate change and sustainability.”

Seyifunmi Adebote, another participant, said the training would set the pace in the reporting of the various health and climate change issues.

“In the last five years of working around climate change and environmental policies across Nigeria and beyond, it has always been clear that there are strong connections between health and climate change, but I haven’t had the opportunity to write about this,” he said.

“I was intrigued with how the resource persons practically explained the strong connection between health, climate change, and environmental issues in Nigeria, with a focus on how we can see similar issues through different lenses and write about them.”

Also, Abdulkareem Mojeed, another participant, said “the training was an eye-opener for stories that clearly show how climate change manifestation affects the environment, and its health implications on the ecosystem”.

The journalists will be supported with story grants to produce insightful and data-driven analyses on issues around climate change, environment, and health.