FNF workshop highlights climate change reporting crises in Pakistan

LAHORE – A two-day consultative workshop by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Pakistan for journalists, public officials, climate change activists and youth concluded at Lahore’s SunFort Hotel yesterday.

The workshop aimed to discuss the challenges of climate reporting in the mainstream and digital media and highlight how increased cooperation between the media and responsible public agencies through an informed reporting can support Clean and Green Pakistan campaign to minimise risks of climate change impacts on Pakistan.

A group of journalists from Punjab and Islamabad participated and contributed their insights to devise the mechanism to end climate change reporting crises.

Shafqat Mallick, Climate Change & Communication Strategist, told the participants that the impacts of climate change are continuously imparting unfavourable traces on various sectors including agriculture, food security, coastal communities and livestock.

Pakistan is currently ranked eighth on the list of countries most vulnerable to climate change, with 10,248 lives lost and $3.8 billion equivalent to 0.5 per cent of the GDP losses. “If the circumstances kept running with this pace, and the government turned blind eyes to this issue, nation would have to face the worst situation in near future,” Mallick warned.

Another Climate Change & Human Rights expert, Aamir Aziz said Pakistan’s high vulnerability to climate change is not a proud moment but a matter of great concern for policymakers, as they have once again failed to realise the gravity of the situation.

Addressing the participants, noted environmentalist Ahmad Rafay Alam said that Pakistan should work on climate change issues on war footing basis as we have already lost too much in terms of foreign funding and climate financing.

He urged the media persons to highlight the issues related to environment and climate change rather than giving prime time to political issues. “It is the high time to create awareness among masses about climate change, water conservation, clean energy, pollution, food security and food safety,” he added.

At the end of the workshop, the attendees were awarded certificates for their contribution to tackling climate change.