There is far less coverage of climate change - an important topic affecting billions of people - than coverage of conflicts.
Media organisations, especially in Asia, should devote more resources to reports on environmental issues, says a senior United Nations official.
In recent days, publications around the world have given far fewer column centimetres to the UN climate change talks in Durban, South Africa, than the conflict in Afghanistan, said Mr Shun-ichi Murata, deputy executive secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap).
‘It is an important conflict, but so is climate change, and it has far-reaching consequences for billions of people,’ he told The Straits Times on the sidelines of the Media Leaders’ Forum at Marina Bay Sands on Wednesday.
Government leaders from around the world have converged on Durban to negotiate the issue of reducing global carbon emissions to combat worsening climate change.
Mr Murata says the media has been biased in its coverage of the talks - predicting their failure even before negotiations started. ‘It’s unfair of the media to make such statements even before the talks begin. There is still the possibility of progress being made,’ he said.
Dr Martin Blake, executive director of GreenAsia Group, a Singapore-based environmental management solutions firm, who also spoke at the event, noted that there have been encouraging trends in Asia. The region has seen an increase in climate change- and environment-related news in the past few years.
‘In Singapore, we’ve seen publications dedicating journalists to this agenda and this is very good. But the media can do more,’ he said. One way is to take a more practical approach to reporting on the issues, and avoid sensationalism.
He noted that there is a misguided tendency for the media to focus on ‘bad, apocalyptic-type news’ on climate change, such as disasters and doomsday scenarios, which can turn readers off a serious topic.
There are many opportunities to focus on ‘good news’, such as positive examples of businesses and communities responding to the climate change challenge, he said.
Escap’s Mr Murata added that media organisations could play a key role in getting Asian consumers to accept green products and shift to a more sustainable lifestyle and pattern of consumption. ‘This is crucial for Asian economies to grow sustainably. They need to build resilience against volatility of prices for food, energy and resources,’ he said.
Media reports are also important in giving a voice to vulnerable and poor communities throughout Asia, who would otherwise not be heard, he added.
The inaugural Media Leaders’ Forum, which attracted about 100 participants, aimed to discuss the role and responsibility of media companies in affecting behavioural change on climate change issues.
It was organised by Media Alliance, a Singapore-based non-profit organisation, in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Asian Development Bank, among others.
This article originally appeared in The Straits Times.
