Welcome to this training course on sustainable journalism. In this module, we will focus on the importance of both environmental and social sustainability in the field of journalism. You will learn about the challenges and opportunities of incorporating these two aspects into your reporting, as well as ways to promote sustainable journalism practices
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Activity 1: Understanding the importance of environmental and social sustainability in journalism
Activity 1: Understanding the importance of environmental and social sustainability in journalism
Let's start by exploring the importance of both environmental and social sustainability in journalism
Take a moment to think about the following questions:
Why is it important for journalists to report on environmental sustainability issues?
Why is it important for journalists to report on social sustainability issues?
How can reporting on both aspects contribute to sustainable journalism practices?
Discussion
Now let's discuss your answers. Here are some key points to consider:
Reporting on environmental sustainability issues is important because it reflects the urgent need to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and other environmental challenges that affect our planet and its inhabitants.
Reporting on social sustainability issues is important because it reflects the need to address social and economic inequalities, human rights violations, and other issues that affect our communities and societies.
Reporting on both aspects can contribute to sustainable journalism practices by promoting a holistic understanding of sustainability and its interconnections, by highlighting the links between environmental and social issues, and by providing insights and solutions that can contribute to a more sustainable future.
Please have a look at the Charter for a journalism worthy of today’s ecological emergency for some
Cover all stories related to climate, living beings and social justice in an interdisciplinary manner, since they are intricately intertwined. Ecology can no longer be limited to a separate column; it must become a prism through which stories are critically examined.
Take an educational approach. Scientific data is often complex. We must explain orders of magnitude and timescales, help identify causal links, and provide elements of comparison.
Reflect on wording and images used. Carefully choosing words and pictures is crucial so as to accurately describe the facts and convey the urgency. We must avoid representations that may distort reality by understating the seriousness of the situation.
Widen the scope of coverage. Refrain from solely calling on individuals to take responsibility and action, and instead consider upheavals as a systemic problem requiring political responses.
Investigate the causes of the current events. Question our growth model; weigh up the role of economic and political actors in the ecological crisis. Remember that a purely short-term focus may prove disastrously detrimental to humanity and nature.
Guarantee transparency. Mistrust of the mainstream media, entangled with the spread of misinformation, compels us to carefully review all data and quotes from experts. We must always show our sources and be transparent about potential conflicts of interest.
Expose the strategies employed to plant seeds of doubt in the public’s mind. Lobbies are actively working to misinform and to undermine the public’s understanding of issues, thereby hindering action to address the crisis.
Inform on actual solutions. Thoroughly investigate ways to act in favour of the climate, nature and human beings, whether on a small or large scale. Cross-examine the solutions proposed.
Demand lifelong training. In order to grasp the bigger picture as well as the detailed effects of climate change on our societies, journalists must be provided with vocational training throughout their careers. Such a right is paramount to ensuring quality of coverage.
Oppose funding that derives from the most polluting activities. To ensure editorial coherence in coverage of climate issues, journalists must have the right to express their concerns or disapproval of financing, advertising and/or media partnerships when these are linked to businesses they deem harmful.
Strengthen media independence. Editiorial decisions must be completely independent from media owners’ interests.
Gear up for “low carbon” journalism. Lower the carbon footprint of journalists’ work. Use more environmentally-friendly tools and practices, without skimping on necessary fieldwork. Encourage newsrooms to rely on local journalists whenever possible.
Boost media cooperation. Take part in a united media ecosystem and promote a new journalistic ethic of helping preserve living conditions on Earth.
Activity 2: Challenges and opportunities of reporting on environmental and social sustainability
Activity 2: Challenges and opportunities of reporting on environmental and social sustainability
Now let's explore the challenges and opportunities of reporting on both environmental and social sustainability
Take a moment to think about the following questions:
What are the challenges that journalists face when reporting on environmental and social sustainability?
What are the opportunities of reporting on both aspects?
How can journalists overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities of reporting on both aspects?
Discussion
Now let's discuss your answers. Here are some key points to consider:
The challenges that journalists face when reporting on environmental and social sustainability include the complexity of the issues, the potential for conflict with political or commercial interests, the difficulty of measuring impact, and the need for specialized expertise. As you may know, climate journalists are killed all over the word for their work.
The opportunities of reporting on both aspects include the potential to provide more relevant and impactful journalism, to engage with diverse audiences, to promote social and environmental awareness, and to contribute to more sustainable policies and practices. To overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities of reporting on both aspects, journalists can invest in training and resources that address sustainability issues, build partnerships with diverse communities and experts, adopt a solutions-oriented approach, and prioritize transparency and accountability in their reporting.
Activity 3: Promoting sustainable journalism practices
Activity 3: Promoting sustainable journalism practices
Finally, let's discuss ways to promote sustainable journalism practices
Take a moment to think about the following questions:
What are some best practices for promoting sustainable journalism?
How can media organizations and journalists collaborate with diverse communities to promote sustainability?
What are some challenges and opportunities in promoting sustainable journalism practices?
Discussion
Now let's discuss your answers. Here are some key points to consider:
Best practices for promoting sustainable journalism include adopting a solutions-oriented approach, using diverse sources and perspectives, avoiding stereotypes and biases, providing context and analysis, and engaging with audiences.
Media organizations and journalists can collaborate with diverse communities to promote sustainability by involving local experts, sources, and organizations, creating platforms for feedback and dialogue, and building partnerships that reflect the diversity of perspectives and experiences.
Challenges in promoting sustainable journalism practices include the need for media organizations to recognize and address their own biases, the potential for backlash and criticism from political or commercial
A journalism that we want to call 'sustainable' must be able to problematise what climate change represents, in terms of its impact not only on the environment, but also on society.
It has to do with work, how to re-present it, to make it economically and ethically fair, to think in a way that is not oriented towards (and only) the western model, to think about rebuilding a social and collective model that allows for growth, fair and equitable, for people and the planet.
Here are some examples of stories you can use with your students:
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