Internews analysis of five national newspapers in Vietnam in 2006 revealed no coverage of climate change at all at a time when the United Nations Human Development Reports had warned that 22 million Vietnamese citizens were at risk from its effects. Progress has been made, but this lack of a balanced and accessible debate around environmental issues such as climate change, deforestation, biodiversity and many others is still all too common around the globe.
The media is often the only channel for exposing environmental abuses like water pollution, exploitative real estate projects, illegal deforestation and extinction of species. The media can demystify complex scientific debates for the general public and allow individual citizens to demand action from their leaders and representatives.
However, mainstream journalists, especially, in developing countries often have little grounding in covering complex environmental issues, have few resources to follow key international negotiations. In the worst cases, they can compromise their personal safety when they investigate environmental abuses.
Through the
activities of the Earth Journalism
Network, we support a network of environmentally savvy media
professionals who can
address communities in a clear voice, denounce local violations
and influence policy-makers. We
support the process of mainstreaming
environmental issues in domestic news agendas. We offer fellowships
to journalists from the global south to participate in the UN Climate
Change Summits. We also strengthen ties among participants and improve the
quality of shared information.
