Download Broadcast Media and Climate Change

Broadcast Media and
Climate Change
A Public Service Remit
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris,
France. September 4-5, 2009
The Challenges of Reporting
on Climate Changes
The Case of Small Island Developing States
Prepared by Gary Allen, Director, CBU,
Managing Director – RJR Communications
Group, Jamaica
Our Context
• The Association of Caribbean States with well over 35
million citizens is the broadest definition of the Caribbean
• The CARIFORUM States (CARICOM plus DR and Haiti)
are home to more than 24 million people
• The English speaking Caribbean is home to just about 6
million people.
• Population spread over 15 independent countries, on
hundreds of islands – with 2 members on the SA
mainland and one on the Central American mainland.
Context
• Our CARICOM populations range from 2.6m at
the top to 5,000 at the other end.
• Immediately then – Small Island States is in a
perspective.
• States that emerged from:
•
•
•
•
Limestone formation
Earthquake formation/activity
Volcanic activity
Within a tropical region of cyclone/hurricane for 6 months
each year.
Context
• Caribbean Economies are built on:
• Tourism (#1 earner in more than 60% of
them – dominated by coastal tourism)
• Oil (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Agriculture
• Public Sector employment
• Small business/self owned businesses
Economic Context
• Per Capita/Per Annum Indicator: (of 208)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
54.
57.
70.
77.
78.
96.
100.
130.
133.
175.
Bahamas
Barbados
St. Kitts and Nevis
Antigua and Barbuda
Trinidad and Tobago
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Dominican Republic
Guyana
Jamaica
Haiti
Climate Change and Reporting
Correlations
• High correlation exists in the reportage on:
• Growing ferociousness of storms and hurricanes: their
frequency, their intensity and their tracking unpredictability;
• Impact of deforestation on soil erosion, flooding, mud slides,
the claiming of lives and destruction of communities;
• Degrading impact of unplanned or under planned
exploration/production from bauxite/alumina, oil, peat, sand
mining, etc.
Reporting on our experiences
• Environmental degradation is getting more
profound and with the bulk of the impact
outside the region it is challenging to
correlate to populations.
• Arguably our region contributes less than
1% of global pollution, but media struggle
to explain why we bear an exponentially
greater consequence.
Reporting on our experiences
• Tourism employs directly/indirectly about 20% of
the regions population – built on coastal
ambiance and beauty but we increasingly report
on the negative impact of climate change on
beaches and reefs.
• Fisheries and pelagic resources are a significant
part of our traditional economies, employing
thousands but is now under increasing threat.
Our Experiences
• Reportage has changed to include explanations
of tidal shifts and the relationship to beach
erosion and the impact on tourism
• Pollution of our oceans and seas has raised
reporting on coral bleaching and impact on
marine life – on policing fishing seasons
vigorously
• Coastal erosion now impacting real estate
development and foreign direct investment.
Reporting on our experiences
• Reportage now required on changes in rainfall
patterns -affecting floods, droughts, landslides.
• Cruise tourism and other pollution sources of our
oceans/seas raise reporting on coral reef impact
and the impact on marine life.
• Critical impact also on agriculture - food security.
Media Actions
• CBU has launched an annual journalism
workshop on climate change;
• Seeking to influence increased information
output on climate change and its relevance;
• Encouraging increased electronic media output
on climate change.
• But much more is required……
The Caribbean Reality is…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sea levels are rising
Reefs are dying
Marine life is declining
Fisher-folk are despairing
Beaches are eroding – tourism is at risk
Cyclones are intensifying
Forests are denuding
Agriculture is wilting – as droughts and floods
are intensifying
• Some slashing and burning is continuing
The Caribbean Reality is…
• We are reporting on how we are declining
• And we are hoping we can awaken our
populace to the challenge we must be
meeting.