CONCEPT NOTE
INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON MASTER CLASS IN CLIMATE CRISIS REPORTING
COURSE BACKGROUND
The climate crisis is a huge and urgent global challenge, affecting almost every aspect of life. Yet, reporting on this complex and often overwhelming issue effectively remains difficult for journalists. They struggle to explain complex science simply, fight false information, keep audiences interested despite the seriousness of the topic, and often face limited resources. There is a clear need for journalists to get special, advanced training to cover this crisis accurately, responsibly, and powerfully.
ECAS Institute understands this vital need for better climate reporting. We are dedicated to supporting strong, responsible journalism in areas that are critical for public understanding. By offering this Master Class, ECAS aims to give journalists advanced knowledge, practical skills, and ethical guidance. This helps them improve their coverage of the climate crisis, aligning with our broader goal to boost media capacity for important public interest stories.
This Master Class is designed to help journalists bridge the gap between general reporting and the specific demands of the climate crisis. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of climate science, learn powerful storytelling techniques, find ways to fight misinformation, and consider important ethical issues. Our goal is to empower journalists to become leading voices on climate change, able to engage the public, hold leaders accountable, and help people understand and respond to this crisis.
COURSE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of climate science fundamentals, key climate impacts, and the scientific consensus, enabling accurate and nuanced reporting.
- Develop advanced journalistic techniques for storytelling, investigative reporting, and data visualization to make complex climate issues accessible and engaging for diverse audiences.
- Formulate strategies to identify, debunk, and counter climate misinformation and disinformation effectively and ethically.
- Navigate the ethical complexities and safety considerations inherent in climate crisis reporting, particularly when covering vulnerable communities or politically sensitive topics.
- Apply solutions-oriented journalism approaches to highlight adaptive measures, mitigation efforts, and innovative solutions, while maintaining journalistic integrity.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
This Master Class will provide participants with specialized knowledge and advanced skills crucial for impactful climate crisis reporting. You will learn:
- The scientific basis of climate change, its past, present, and projected impacts across different sectors and regions.
- Techniques for translating complex scientific data and jargon into compelling, understandable narratives for a general audience.
- Strategies for conducting effective investigative journalism on climate change, including tracking funding, corporate influence, and policy failures.
- Methods for identifying sources of climate misinformation and disinformation, and practical approaches to fact-checking and countering false narratives.
- Best practices for ethical climate reporting, including avoiding bias, ensuring accuracy, giving voice to marginalized communities, and managing personal safety risks.
- How to integrate solutions journalism into climate reporting, focusing on adaptation, mitigation, and resilience efforts without greenwashing or undue optimism.
- Leveraging multimedia tools, data visualization, and digital platforms for impactful climate storytelling.
- Strategies for building trust with audiences and sustaining engagement on a topic that can lead to fatigue or despair.
DURATION AND PROGRAM
This is an intensive Master Class, designed for experienced journalists and media professionals. The program will combine expert lectures, interactive workshops, in-depth case studies, practical exercises, and opportunities for peer review and personalized feedback. The detailed program schedule, including specific session timings, field visits (where applicable), and guest speaker sessions with leading climate scientists and journalists, will be communicated prior to the Master Class commencement.
TARGET PARTICIPANTS
This Master Class is designed for seasoned journalists, editors, producers, and media professionals who are either currently covering climate change or intend to specialize in this critical area. Ideal candidates include:
- Environmental and Science Journalists: Seeking to deepen their expertise and refine their climate crisis reporting skills.
- Investigative Journalists: Interested in uncovering the systemic issues and actors behind climate inaction or maladaptation.
- Editors and Newsroom Leaders: Responsible for shaping climate coverage and managing reporting teams.
- Broadcast Journalists and Documentarians: Focused on visual storytelling and long-form narratives on climate.
- Digital Journalists and Multimedia Producers: Working with data, interactive content, and social media for climate communication.
- Journalism Trainers and Educators: Looking to integrate advanced climate reporting into their curricula.
- Experienced reporters from various beats (e.g., business, politics, health, local news) who recognize the imperative to integrate climate dimensions into their reporting.
TRAINING MODULES
The Master Class is structured into comprehensive modules, providing a deep dive into the multifaceted aspects of climate crisis reporting:
| No | Module | Details | |
| 1. | Deep Dive into Climate Science and Impacts |
This module provides an advanced understanding of the scientific consensus on climate change, its physical processes, and the escalating impacts across various sectors and regions.
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| 2. | Crafting Compelling Climate Narratives |
This module focuses on advanced storytelling techniques to make complex and often daunting climate information accessible, relatable, and engaging for diverse audiences.
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| 3. | Navigating the Infodemic: Misinformation and Disinformation |
This critical module equips journalists with strategies to identify, analyze, and effectively counter the deliberate spread of false and misleading information about climate change.
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| 4. | Ethical Dilemmas and Safety in Climate Journalism |
This module addresses the unique ethical considerations and safety challenges faced by climate journalists, particularly when reporting on sensitive or controversial topics.
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Solutions Journalism and Accountability |
This capstone module focuses on moving beyond problem-centric reporting to highlight solutions, innovations, and accountability measures in the climate crisis.
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TRAINING STYLE
The modules will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, and lectures and will include a case study/field visit, breakout sessions, case studies and other interactive discussion components.
The course will also include a few guest speakers, both in person and via Zoom and other online learning platforms for overseas speakers. This provides useful real-world insights alongside the more theoretical aspects of the course.
The conference faculty shall consist of experienced decision makers, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active around climate change, engineering and international development. Throughout the course, theoretical presentation of concepts will be moderated and more group discussions and plenary engagements will be optimized. PowerPoint presentations will be made by facilitators and resource persons, to highlight key concepts before embarking on group work.
GENERAL NOTES
- Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
- Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
- We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: info@ecasiafrica.org.
- Payment should be sent to our bank account before the start of training and proof of payment sent to: info@ecasiafrica.org.
ABOUT ECAS INSTITUTE
The ECAS Institute designs and delivers independent and targeted training, research, and consulting services. Our work focusses on climate change and resilience building, carbon markets, renewable energy, nature-based solution, biodiversity conservation, agriculture and food systems, We are located in Nairobi Kenya and work across the African region. We have implemented training and research assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, and South Africa. Globally, we have supported our partners from the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and USA