KARACHI: As climate change has emerged as one of the most serious challenges for the country, environmental experts and media professionals have agreed that the key issue is often sidelined in policymakers’ discussions and mainstream media and the negligence could have serious consequences for the country.

At a session convened by the Climate Action Centre Karachi, the participants gathered to discuss efforts to raise awareness of public and policymakers about climate change.

The event also referred to challenges including accessibility of official data and research on local environmental issues.

The participants unanimously agreed that environmental and climate change topics were often sidelined and pointed out the lack of specialised training facilities for media persons as a significant barrier which was preventing them from excelling in climate related contribution.

They agreed that there was an urgent need for targeted training programmes to equip both electronic and print media journalists with skills necessary to cover climate change issues effectively.

Yasir Husain, director of the Climate Action Centre, emphasised the key role of media in climate action and promoting sustainable solutions tailored for Pakistan.

He invited fossil energy producers to switch over to renewable energy production for clean and equitable energy.

He said the nation was paying a high cost of fossil fuel-generated electricity and advocated for affordable and clean energy solutions.

He urged the media to convey this critical message and emphasised the dire consequences of maintaining the status quo.

In a move to elevate climate reporting to the forefront of mainstream media, he proposed the creation of a dedicated platform for climate journalists.

This initiative could foster a collaborative environment for sharing knowledge and best practices, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2024