United Nations (UN) has called for commitment by stakeholders to safeguard press freedom and the rights of journalists and around the world.
In a statement, UN Secretary General – Antonio Guteres says as the world is going through environmental emergency, environmental journalists play a vital role in helping people understand the plight of the planet.
He adds that by providing evidence of environmental degradation and vandalism, environmental journalist help in holding those responsible to account.
Guteres further says environmental journalism is an increasingly dangerous profession as the perpetrators of environmental vandalism are powerful people and institutions.
For the past 15 years , 750 physical attacks on environmental journalists have been reported, according to UNESCO.
Meanwhile, a member of the Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi, Alick Ponje, has called on media houses to train their journalists on how to properly cover environmental issues in order to promote the field.
Ponje further says media houses should have special environmental and climate change desks to ensure that there is specialisation on environmental issues.
Malawi is joining the rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day on 3 May , 2024 under the theme “A Press for the planet: Journalism in the face of Environmental Crisis”.
By Alufisha Fischer
