During two and a half days of intensive and interactive sessions, the workshop facilitators Dr. Gary Haq of the Stockholm Environment Institute, Benjamin Chesterton, a former BBC producer and trainer of journalist and Jonaid Jillani, the Oxfam GB resource person provided insights into the different methors being followed the world over for communicating climate change.

The facilitators were assisted by subject experts, Dr. Parvaiz Naim, Country Advisor KFW, a German Development Bank, Dr. Pervaiz Amir of ASIANICS, Ambassador Safdar Kakakhel of Sustainable Development Policy Institute and Abdul Qadir Rafiq, Senior Programme Officer of the UNDP also assisted the facilitators by providing the context and explaining the science of climate change.

Through interactive exercises, the journalists were trained in the different media and modes of communications they could make use of to bring the issue of climate change to the forefront. On their part, the journalists emphasised for the need for recognition of ‘green journalism’ and resolved to form a network of environmental journalists.

At the concluding ceremony, Manager IUCN-Pakistan Islamabad Office, Mahmood Akhtar Cheema promised that there would be more such workshops in the future to build the capacity of the national media.

Benjamin Chesterton, one of the workshop facilitators, informed the audience about the proceedings of the workshop and shared his impressions of the capabilities and potential of the Pakistani journalists.

Ms. Neva Khan of Oxfam GB in her vote of thanks, underscored the need for making climate change an integral part of environmental reporting, and assured of the help of OXFAM in further capacity building.

The chief guest at the concluding ceremony was the Federal Minister of Environment, Hameedullah Jan Afridi lauded the efforts of IUCN and Oxfam in holding the workshop, and said the Ministry of Environment was doing all it can to address environmental issues. He lauded the work of the national media in highlighting environmental issues of the country., and said it acted as the eyes and ears of the masses.

In the end, he distributed the certificates amongst the workshop participants.



Notes to editors

For more information please contact:
Afia Salam, Coordinator Communications and Outreach, IUCN-Pakistan.
0300 9223019
afia.salam@iucnp.org

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IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges by supporting scientific research; managing field projects all over the world; and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN, international conventions and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice.

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