Jamaican Journalists to be Trained in Biodiversity and Climate Change

Regional Director, Media, Community & Environment at Panos Caribbean, Indi Mclymont-Lafayette during a VOICES for Climate Change Education workshop with artistes and some media representatives last year.

By Andrea Downer, Journalist

Kingston, Jamaica. March 25, 2011- Roughly 10-15 Jamaican journalists will on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 participate in a one day training workshop on covering climate change and biodiversity issues.

The workshop will be held in Mocho, Clarendon, by the Mocho Community Development Association (MCDA) in association with PANOS Caribbean and the National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC).

“The workshop will sensitize key stakeholders in vulnerable sectors and communities on the emerging research and data on climate change and biodiversity issues while helping to promote sustainable conservation and preservation of marine and forest eco-systems, which is one of several activities being carried out in the community of Mocho, Clarendon,” said Regional Director, Media, Community and Environment at Panos Caribbean, Indi Mclymont-Lafayette.

“We are targeting 15 journalists and while some journalists have already confirmed their attendance, there are still some spaces available,” she explained.

According to her, based on Panos’ work, observations had been made that biodiversity was an underreported area in the Jamaican media. So the workshop would help to increase the number of stories produced on biodiversity and climate change issues in Jamaican media. It would also build the link and foster relations between media and two vulnerable communities – Portland Cottage and Mocho in Clarendon.

Participants at the workshop will also be eligible for a cash fellowship to do follow up reporting on the issues which should boost journalists’ capacity to cover biodiversity and climate change issues. The fellowship recipient will be expected to produce a series of stories (4) on the climate change and biodiversity issues.

There will be several presentations on climate change and biodiversity work being done in Jamaica, after which journalists will embark on two field trips, one around the Mocho Community and then to Jackson Bay, a beach which fishermen say is disappearing. It has not been determined if this is linked to sea level rise or storm surge or if it is as a result of climate change. A representative from NEPA will be invited to share more on the issue.

Transportation to and from the workshop will be provided.

The Mocho Community Development Association (MCDA), Panos Caribbean and the National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC) have received a US$29,000 grant from the Global Environment Facility Small Grant Programme an gotten and the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica to work on communicating climate change and biodiversity issues. The 15 month project is an extension of the Voices project but with more of a focus at the community level and nationally. (End25/03/11)

For more information contact Andrea Downer at dreadowner69@yahoo.com or call 920-0070.