Vihiga Governor Urges Media to Enhance Climate Change Coverage

KISUMU – During a pre-training workshop on Climate Change Reporting and Curriculum Development held in Kisumu County, Vihiga Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo emphasized the critical role of media in environmental conservation. The workshop was hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change in collaboration with the German Government through GIZ and the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG).

According to Kenya News Agency, read by Mr. Winston Atamba, the Vihiga County Director for Climate Change, media practitioners play vital roles in informing the public, acting as watchdogs, and advocating for environmental issues. He stressed the importance of using media platforms to raise awareness of climate change impacts like floods and droughts, and to promote actionable solutions rather than merely discouraging harmful practices.

The governor pointed out that deforestation and fossil fuel combustion are among the human activities that exacerbate climate change, which poses irreversible changes and unpredictable accelerations in environmental degradation. As the Chairperson of the Council of Governors on the Environment and Climate Change Committee, Dr. Ottichilo highlighted Kenya’s financial commitment to climate change mitigation, planning to self-finance 13% of the required funds while seeking external support for the remaining 87%.

The workshop aimed to equip journalists in Kisumu with the necessary skills to effectively report on climate change. Rosalia Omungo, CEO of the Kenya Editors Guild, explained that the two-day event was also intended to develop a comprehensive training curriculum to address gaps in climate change understanding among journalists. She noted past reporting errors and emphasized the curriculum’s goal to improve reporting accuracy and consistency.

Additionally, Dr. John Recha, a scientist from the International Livestock Research Institute, underscored the importance of journalists understanding basic science to simplify complex climate data for the public. He called for enhanced collaboration among media stakeholders to foster effective reporting and highlighted the media’s role in driving public education on alternative solutions to mitigate climate change.

The event was attended by news editors, journalists, scientists, academia, and officials from civil society organizations, all converging to strengthen climate change reporting ahead of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Azerbaijan.