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Broadcast Media and Climate Change

Broadcast Media and Climate Change. A Public Service Remit UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France. September 4-5, 2009. The Challenges of Reporting on Climate Changes. The Case of Small Island Developing States

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Broadcast Media and Climate Change

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  1. Broadcast Media and Climate Change A Public Service Remit UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France. September 4-5, 2009

  2. The Challenges of Reporting on Climate Changes The Case of Small Island Developing States Prepared by Gary Allen, Director, CBU, Managing Director – RJR Communications Group, Jamaica

  3. Our Context • The Association of Caribbean States with well over 35 million citizens is the broadest definition of the Caribbean • The CARIFORUM States (CARICOM plus DR and Haiti) are home to more than 24 million people • The English speaking Caribbean is home to just about 6 million people. • Population spread over 15 independent countries, on hundreds of islands – with 2 members on the SA mainland and one on the Central American mainland.

  4. Context • Our CARICOM populations range from 2.6m at the top to 5,000 at the other end. • Immediately then – Small Island States is in a perspective. • States that emerged from: • Limestone formation • Earthquake formation/activity • Volcanic activity • Within a tropical region of cyclone/hurricane for 6 months each year.

  5. Context • Caribbean Economies are built on: • Tourism (#1 earner in more than 60% of them – dominated by coastal tourism) • Oil (Trinidad and Tobago) • Agriculture • Public Sector employment • Small business/self owned businesses

  6. Economic Context • Per Capita/Per Annum Indicator: (of 208) • 54. Bahamas • 57. Barbados • 70. St. Kitts and Nevis • 77. Antigua and Barbuda • 78. Trinidad and Tobago • 96. St. Vincent and the Grenadines • 100. Dominican Republic • 130. Guyana • 133. Jamaica • 175. Haiti

  7. Climate Change and Reporting Correlations • High correlation exists in the reportage on: • Growing ferociousness of storms and hurricanes: their frequency, their intensity and their tracking unpredictability; • Impact of deforestation on soil erosion, flooding, mud slides, the claiming of lives and destruction of communities; • Degrading impact of unplanned or under planned exploration/production from bauxite/alumina, oil, peat, sand mining, etc.

  8. Reporting on our experiences • Environmental degradation is getting more profound and with the bulk of the impact outside the region it is challenging to correlate to populations. • Arguably our region contributes less than 1% of global pollution, but media struggle to explain why we bear an exponentially greater consequence.

  9. Reporting on our experiences • Tourism employs directly/indirectly about 20% of the regions population – built on coastal ambiance and beauty but we increasingly report on the negative impact of climate change on beaches and reefs. • Fisheries and pelagic resources are a significant part of our traditional economies, employing thousands but is now under increasing threat.

  10. Our Experiences • Reportage has changed to include explanations of tidal shifts and the relationship to beach erosion and the impact on tourism • Pollution of our oceans and seas has raised reporting on coral bleaching and impact on marine life – on policing fishing seasons vigorously • Coastal erosion now impacting real estate development and foreign direct investment.

  11. Reporting on our experiences • Reportage now required on changes in rainfall patterns -affecting floods, droughts, landslides. • Cruise tourism and other pollution sources of our oceans/seas raise reporting on coral reef impact and the impact on marine life. • Critical impact also on agriculture - food security.

  12. Media Actions • CBU has launched an annual journalism workshop on climate change; • Seeking to influence increased information output on climate change and its relevance; • Encouraging increased electronic media output on climate change. • But much more is required……

  13. The Caribbean Reality is… • Sea levels are rising • Reefs are dying • Marine life is declining • Fisher-folk are despairing • Beaches are eroding – tourism is at risk • Cyclones are intensifying • Forests are denuding • Agriculture is wilting – as droughts and floods are intensifying • Some slashing and burning is continuing

  14. The Caribbean Reality is… • We are reporting on how we are declining • And we are hoping we can awaken our populace to the challenge we must be meeting.

  15. Thank You.

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