YAOUNDE, Cameroon (PAMACC News) - Cameroon journalists have been enjoined to take interest in reporting climate information data and services, cardinal instruments in development planning for policymakers and other stakeholders.

The call was made by officials of the African Climate Policy Center (ACPC) of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Advanced School of Mass Communication, ASMAC Yaounde , at a two day workshop, June 25-26,2018 to enhance the reporting skills of communicators on the use of climate information services in development planning.

“The media has an important role to play in informing policymakers and end users on the use of climate services and data to better address environmental challenges,” says Professor Nana Nzepa, head of the Information technology department, ASMAC.

The overarching goal of enhancing the uptake of Climate Information Services (CIS) is geared at providing people and organizations with reliable, timely, user-friendly information tailored to reduce climate risks related losses as well as in capitalizing on emerging opportunities for development noted ACPC.

“Hence, factoring CIS into policy, planning and practices are crucial for Africa to achieve its development aspirations for enhanced trade competitiveness, reduced poverty and sustainable economic growth,” Journalists were told.

According to Charles Muraya, Information Management Officer ACPC, the uptake and use of climate info of CIS in Africa is influenced by the lack of reliable historical observations, coarse scale of future climate projections, weak coordinated CIS delivery, among others. On the side of the users, the main obstacles for poor uptake and utilization of CIS include limited awareness about the existence of specific climate information, poor data accessibility, and lack of capacity to use climate information in decision making processes.

“The media has not been very proactive in providing the correct information and in time for decision making. Engaging media in climate information dissemination is therefore an important step in ensuring that climate information is packaged in a form that can easily be understood and that it is also received in a timely manner,” he said.

It is against this backdrop that the training of over 30 journalists in Cameroon was organised under the theme" the use of the e-learning platform on climate information and services mainstreaming in the planning and economic development processes".

Participants were empowered using teaching tools and skills in the dissemination of climate information and services and the need to mainstream climate information in their different media content and programmes to better inform policymakers and end users.

“We expect you communicators to better advocate and sensitize legislators, decision-makers, the private sector, investors and other stakeholders on the issue and role of Climate Information Services (CIS) in development planning processes,” says Professor Nana Nzepa.
“But to do this you must first of all understand the basic notion of climate information services and data,” he said.

The different participants from community radio, national and private newspapers, radio and television appreciated the training, acknowledging its importance amidst growing climate threats.

“ It is time for the voices of Journalists to be heard in the fight against climate change, thanks to the two days training  I now know the importance of climate information services,” notes Jean Didier Ayisi, journalist and workshop participant.

Cameroon just like many African countries today suffer from the effects of climate change with many economic and social sectors increasingly vulnerable to floods, droughts, heavy winds among other calamities.

Environment experts say the dissemination of climate information services by the media for the benefit of specific users remains essential to support Africa's response to climate change.

“The fight against climate change can only be effective if decision makers and especially the population have ample climate related information,” says Augustine Njamnshi of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA Cameroon.

Development actors say innovative ways of delivering CIS initiatives that provide science-informed solutions is vital for the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Africa.

Thus investment in the deployment of robust climate information and  services  delivery  system  for  the  effective  implementation  of  Nationally  Determined Contributions (NDCs) and associated mechanisms established through the global climate governance processes is crucial according to ACPC.

The Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) was designed by the UK Department for International Development (DfiD) in 2015 to facilitate the uptake of climate information by policymakers and vulnerable groups especially young people and women. Its pan-African component is led by the African Center for Climate Policy (ACPC), which is a hub for demand led knowledge on climate change in Africa.