- Journalists called to simplify and amplify biodiversity and climate stories
- NCF trains reporters under German-backed conservation initiative
- Experts advocate for stories of hope, innovation and local solutions
As climate change intensifies and biodiversity faces growing threats, journalists and editors in Nigeria are being urged to step up efforts in promoting environmental awareness and sustainable development.
Eko Hot Blog reports that this call was made during a two-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), with support from the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Government. The training, held under the Climate Resilience for Critical Sites for Migratory Birds and People along the East Atlantic Flyway project, was themed: “Effective Journalism on Conservation and Climate Impacts on Biodiversity and People in Nigeria: Creating a Resilient East Atlantic Flyway (CREAF).”
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The Director-General of NCF, Dr Joseph Onoja, emphasised that the media plays a crucial role in shifting public perceptions and influencing policy on environmental issues. He noted that climate change has already disrupted food production in Nigeria and stressed the importance of making complex climate and biodiversity topics relatable to the public.
“Climate change has negatively impacted food production in Nigeria,” Onoja stated. “This training is part of our effort to ensure journalists simplify and amplify environmental issues to better engage the public and policymakers.”
Development communicator, Kunle Olawoyin, led a session on Solution Journalism for Climate Mitigation. He encouraged participants to steer away from doom-laden stories and instead highlight innovations, community-led conservation, and other positive developments.
“Stop painting a picture of doom,” Olawoyin said. “People are overwhelmed by bad news. Instead, spotlight what’s working: community-led conservation, climate-smart agriculture, or local innovation. Let the story inspire action.”
Journalist Esther Omopariola underscored the importance of ethics, factual balance, and human-centred storytelling in climate reporting. According to her, effective climate stories should stir public emotion without sensationalism and offer practical paths forward.
“A good climate story is more than just data. It should stir public emotion without being sensational, and it must be factual, fair, and solution-driven,” Omopariola noted.
The workshop is part of a broader effort to equip Nigerian journalists with the tools to report on biodiversity and climate change in ways that inform, inspire, and drive change.
With increasing threats to migratory bird habitats and local livelihoods, the need for a well-informed and solution-focused media has never been more urgent.
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