First Africa Climate Change Communication Conference May 31st-June 2nd 2010, Kampala

[Patrick Luganda]

Network of Climate Journalists in the Greater Horn of Africa

Old Namilyango Road,

Off Jinja-Kampala Highway

Plot 57, Gwafu Seeta

Kampala Uganda

March 1^st 2010

FIRST AFRICA CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION CONFERENCE –KAMPALA

Improving Media understanding of Climate Change Information for Applicable Communication in Africa

Venue: The three day International Conference will take place at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala, Uganda

Date: May 31^st –June 2^nd, 2010

Highlight: This is an exceptional event as it is the first time ever that a Climate Change Communication Conference is taking place in Africa

Major Objective

The major objective of this conference is to create a critical mass of well trained climate journalists in Africa by improving the capacity of senior media reporters, sub editors and editors within African media houses to cover climate and climate change issues more accurately, in a credible, effective manner. A number of journalists from the Greater Horn of Africa and the rest of Africa will also be invited to participate to introduce them to climate journalism.

This will increase their potential to inform, educate and mobilize the public, policy makers, researchers and development partners about climate and climate change in general so as to help the decision-making process at all levels to enable positive utilization of climate information for betterment of livelihoods in the Greater Horn of Africa sub region and the rest of Africa as a whole.

Participants

The three day workshop targets practicing journalists including reporters, sub editors and editors from radio, TV and print and Online media. Participants will also include the climate science community, science communicators, researchers, academics, social scientists, civil society organizations and policy makers in the region and the international community to enable a common communication strategy involving a range of stakeholders. The participants will have a unique opportunity to interact with senior climate expert scientists and leading media trainers in the region.

Background and Justification

Improving Disaster Risk management in Africa has gained crucial prominence with the occurrence of repeated disasters as a result of climate change and climate variability all over the continent. Raising public awareness on the available adaptation and mitigation options is important for public response to strategies to mitigate climate change as well as reduce negative impacts on humanity.

Increasing agricultural production through application of climate information is a critical intervention in reducing poverty through increased outputs and incomes. Adaptation to climate change on the other hand is an important intervention for all global communities in the face of changing climate scenarios particularly in Africa.

Expert studies, including the 4^th IPCC report, show that Africa lags behind the rest of the continents in putting to advantageous use available climate information and preparing its peoples to face the rapidly changing climate situations. Yet, public dissemination of information that is generated by the climate science community could go a long way in creating mitigation and adaptation capacities of communities and countries against climate variability and climate change.

The media has immense potential to play a lead role in informing the public as well as a variety of stakeholders in the climate information cycle to adapt and mitigate disasters, make informed decisions as well as mitigation and adaptive planning at various levels of governance. This conference seeks to address these bottlenecks by engaging the media, which are the main source of information to the public, governments and society in general.

Objectives

1. Enhance the capacities of journalists in climate and climate change reporting

2. Introduce the journalists to climate change communication of adaptation and mitigation to climate change

3. Improve coverage of climate information in the context of sustainable agriculture and food security as well as health, fisheries, power generation, economics and rural development

4. Enable the creation of partnerships with various stakeholders in the climate change communication chain for adaptation and mitigation

5. Increase coverage of climate change adaptation and mitigation by writing, publishing and broadcasting of stories on climate change related sectors

6. Editing and graphic skills improvement for sub editors and producers

7. Editors and media houses enhanced appreciation of climate information

8. Create a critical mass of journalists reporting on Climate Change in Africa.

Expected outcomes

1. Credible climate/climate change reporting increased.
2. Critical mass of well informed journalists on climate issues established.
3. Science based understanding of climate science by journalists
4. Scientists and other stakeholders having a better understanding and appreciation of the critical value of communication of climate change
5. Informed Public and public participation in climate for development
6. Produce Report of ongoing adaptation and mitigation in Africa generated from the workshop presentations
7. Generation of Draft Strategic Communication Plan
8. Workshop Report

Organizers:

• Secretariat -Network Of Climate Journalists in the Greater Horn of Africa-(NECJOGHA )

Project Coordination and Administration:

• Internews/ Environmental Journalists Network, Washington

Supervising Institution

• IGAD Climate and Prediction Centre Nairobi-(ICPAC)

Participants: Journalists, climate scientists, Civil Society Organizations and science communication specialists.

Supervisor: Professor Laban Ogallo-Director IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center-Nairobi

Principal Investigator: Patrick Luganda- Chairman Network of Climate Journalists

Principal Coordinator: Dr. James Fahn- Internews

Collaborating, Logistical and Financial Partners:

· Uganda Journalists Association

• Environmental Journalist Network/Internews
• International Women’s Media Foundation
• National Meteorological and hydrological Services
• IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre
• Uganda Science Journalists Association
• National Agricultural Research Organization
• DENIVA Uganda

Confirmed Sponsors:

MEDIA

1. Internews
2. International Womens Media Foundation-IWMF
3. Uganda Journalists Association

SCIENTISTS

1. National Agricultural Research Organization
2. ICPAC

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

1. Office of the Prime Minister-Uganda

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS

1. DENIVA

Potential Sponsors:

· Development Donors, Corporate Organizations, Regional Institutions, International Institutes on Climate and Environment, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, Regional Governments

NB: Sponsorship of the Conference is still being sought and will be most welcome. The list of sponsors will be constantly updated. Special mention and recognition will be made of all our financial, technical and all assistance in kind, in the run-up to the conference, during and after the event. Our particular need is to support more journalists particularly from Africa to attend this conference.

For more information please contact Patrick Luganda, Conference Coordinator on email: [e-mail] , [e-mail] or [e-mail] Tel: [phone]

Dated _________________________________1^st March 2010