To pave the way for climate news and feature stories that are relevant to Africans, 24 journalists from 13 countries across Africa take part in Danida Fellowship Centre´s learning programme Reporting from the African frontline of the global climate crisis.
Many media outlets fail to effectively cover the climate crisis and its solutions. This stems from various factors. In Africa, this includes sourcing climate stories from international platforms, leading to a disconnect with local audiences and underutilization of African research and expertise. Moreover, reports and studies on climate change often receive inadequate attention, and coverage lacks depth and long-term perspectives, hindering a proper understanding of the crisis’s magnitude and root causes.
Additionally, the lack of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and constructive dialogue between the media, governments, and industries, such as energy, waste management, and water sectors, further limits initiatives and innovations to tackle the crisis effectively.
As a result, African audiences are deprived of relevant climate news and feature stories tailored to their needs, despite Africa being at the forefront of the global climate crisis. Research shows that climate change already affects the lives of many Africans negatively and impacts agricultural production but despite this climate literacy remains low.
The journalist programme is interlinked and coordinated with Danida Fellowship Centre’s seminar #2 Bridging the Gab. Science for the public. We focus on the global climate crisis for 14 African Danida supported climate researchers.
A set of mandatory outputs are required from the journalists who take part in this programme
(The programmes is updated 15 August 2023. It is subject to changes)
WEEK 1/Online: 1 – 3 August 2023
Tuesday 1 August 2023
Reporting from the African frontline of the global climate crisis
09:00 – 9:15 Welcome Vibeke Quaade, Senior Communications Consultant, Danida Fellowship Centre
9:15 – 11:30 Bridging the Gap. Science for the Public. Part #1.. Lise Brix, Trainer & Science Journalist, Videnskab.dk
Why care about science?
Tools: How to find local science news
Exercise: Find a study from your local area
11:30 End of Day
Thursday 3 August 2023
Tools and methods of science journalism
09:00 – 11:35. Bridging the Gap. Science for the Public. Part #2. Lise Brix, Trainer & Science Journalist, Videnskab.dk
When science disagrees: Who should I trust?
Part 1: How to avoid typical mistakes when reporting on science
Intro to assignment: Produce a climate science story
11.30 am – 2 pm CET
Online availability to help you find your story – getting started (voluntary)
Deadline for the assignment is Thursday 17 August.
To pass this course and continue to Tanzania/Kenya it’s mandatory to send the climate science story before deadline to lb@videnskab.dk and vq@dfcentre.dk
WEEK 2/TZ: 28 August – 1 September 2023
Monday 28 August 2023
A shared African voice for climate justice (researchers & journalists)
09:00 – 9:45 Welcome to MS TCDC
Makena Mwobobia, Executive Director MS TCDC
9:45 – 10:30 Why we are here & introductions
Vibeke Quaade, Senior Communications Consultant, Danida Fellowship Centre
10:30 – 11:00 Tea Break
11.00 – 11.45 A shared African perspective and voice for climate justice
Keynote speaker: Dr. Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director PACJA
11.45 – 12.30 Q & A / discussion
12:30 – 13.30 Lunch
1.30 – 14.15 Climate negotiations and related processes. What’s at stake for Africa
Presentation: Philip Kilonzo, Head of Policy, Advocacy and Communication PACJA
14:15 – 15.00 Group work (groups of mixed journalists & researchers)
- What is the role of journalists and researchers in advancing African interests in the international climate negotiations?
- How should the two collaborate with the CSOs in advancing these interests?
Sub issues to inspire your discussions:
- What are the likely issues of interest for journalists, researchers and CSOs in shaping the African narrative on issues of climate justice
- What kind of difficulties and conflicts may the three parties having collaborating
- What common interests issues can bring the three together in shaping the African narrative on issues of climate justice
- How to catalyze the relationship among the three to deliver to scale in influencing climate action
15.00 – 15.30 Tea break
15.30 – 16.00 Group Work (Continued)
16.00 – 16.30 Presentations
16.30 End of day
Tuesday 29 August 2023
Tactics to science journalism (journalists only)
Facilitator: Lise Brix, Trainer & Science Journalist, Videnskab.dk
09:00 – 10:00 Recap from online sessions
10:00 – 10:30 Share your mistakes
10:30 – 11:00 Tea Break
11:00 – 11:30 General learning points from assignment
11:30 – 12:30 Group feedback on assignments
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:30 Critical approach to science
14:30 – 15:00 Excercises, critical approach to science
15:00 – 15:30 Tea Break
15:30 – 16:30 Quizzes and final remarks
16:30 End of Day
Wednesday 30 August 2023
Constructive Journalism, Why the need for constructive journalism? (journalists only)
Facilitators: Cynara Vetch, International Project Lead, The Constructive Institute & Carol Kimutai, Former Digital Editor, The Standard Media Group Kenya
Module 1. Constructive Mindset. The Why? of constructive journalism
09:00 – 9:10 Welcome and introduction to the trainings
9:10 – 10:00 State of the world and key data
10:00 – 10:15 Tea Break
10:15 – 10:45 Frames for covering Africa
10:45 – 11:00 Nasty, Negative and Sensationalist – exercise in 3 groups
11:00 – 11:10 Tea Break
11:10 – 11:30 Africa sleep walking to disaster? Thoughts from Natasha Kimani, Africa No Filter
11:30 – 12:00 Where are we now and where are we headed? Group exercise
12:00 – 12:30 Three pillars of constructive journalism
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
Module 2. 3 Pillars. The What? of Constructive Journalism
13:30 – 14:00 Pillar 1. Solutions Focused Journalism
14:00 – 15:00 Going beyond the problem. Group exercise
15:00 – 15:15 Tea Break
15:15 – 15:30 Pillar 2. Incorporating nuance and complexity
15:30 – 16:00 Complexity at COP28. Group exercise.
16:00 – 16:30 Pillar 3. Democratic Conversation. The journalist as facilitator. Discussion and examples.
16:30 Now what? The road ahead. End of Day
Thursday 31 August 2023
How do we collaborate? (researchers and journalists)
9:00 – 09:10 Welcome back together & goals of the day
9:10 – 10:10 Speed Dating
10:10 – 11:30 Group work: Pitch presentation by researchers.
11:30 – 12:00 Inspirational talk: 10 things to remember when journalists and researchers collaborate
Prof Robinson Mdegela, Sokoine University of Agriculture
12:oo – 12:30 Group work: Discuss challenges when journalists/scientists work together (groups of 5-6)
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:00 Plenum: The biggest challenges between journalists/scientists
14:00 – 15:00 Group work: Come up with solutions to overcome the challenges.
15:00 – 15:30 Tea Break
15:30 – 16:30 Plenum – select best solutions – make manifesto
16:30 End of Day
19:00 BBQ, music & bonfire
Friday 1 September 2023
Next step: Africa Climate Summit ’23 & COP28: Must the African response to climate change be uniquely African (researchers and journalists)
09:00 – 9:30 Recap
9:30 – 10:30 How climate action can position Africa as a prominent player in averting a global climate catastrophe
James Irungu Mwangi, Founder, Climate Action Platform Africa
10:30 – 11:00 Tea Break
11: 00 – 11:45 African opportunities in green growth and climate finance
Faten Aggad, Senior Advisor on climate diplomacy and geopolitics, The African Climate Foundation
11:45 – 12:30 Goodbye for now: Takeaways in threes – two journalists and one scientist – what did you learn and what will you do next?
12:30 End of in-person seminar
WEEK 3/KE: 2 – 6 September 2023 Africa Climate Summit Nairobi
Saturday 1 September 2023
10:00 – 17:00 Bus transfer MS TCDC Ausha – hotel Gigiri Lions, Nairobi
Monday 4 - Wednesday 6 September 2023
All Day: Reporting from the Africa Climate Summit 2023
Thursday 7 September 2023
Watch the video and read about #1. Reporting from the African frontline of the global climate crisis 2022
Sharing knowledge is essential for finding sustainable solutions to global challenges. Danida Fellowship Centre supports the creation of new competencies and skills aimed at transforming knowledge into action through co-creation, knowledge sharing, networking and storytelling.
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