Climate change policy / research awareness ... projects, outreach activities, and best practices. â¡ ... Costing climate loss & damage as a percentage of social.
CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT ISSUES IN UGANDA Authors: Wilson Okaka and Michael Wakabi The Uganda Science Journalists Association (USJA) Training Consultants in Science Journalism and Climate Reporting
Introduction to Climate Change Key Words and Concepts
Climate change / Climate variability assessments Climate change / weather events Climate change vulnerabilities Climate change perceptions Climate change / carbon credit / sinks / Green Climate Fund Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) El Nino / La Nino factors Carbon footprint / Global warming / Green house (effect) Adaptation, resilience, mitigation, COPs, SDGs Climate change policy / research awareness Science, science journalism, communication, research UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA
Climate Assessment Issues
Individual, small scale, medium scale, large scale activities Household (family livelihoods) well-being Local community standards and conditions of living; District climate change adaptation and mitigation status Regional (Uganda) climate change status reporting The role of all stakeholders in climate change actions; The role of community media led by local radio / TV in promoting community environmental education policy, projects, outreach activities, and best practices. Compliance with national policies and plan of actions (NAPA) Climate change mainstreaming in all public and private sectors
Localizing international conventions, goals, policies, etc
UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA UGANDA
Climate Loss / Damage Issues
Climate change has exacted heavy loss & damage to economy; Costing climate change loss and damage is vital & imperative; Costing loss & damage in terms of the national, district, regional, institutional, household budgets, infrastructure building, market; Costing climate loss & damage as a percentage of social services (health, education, welfare, household incomes, etc); Compare loss & damage with national incomes, GDP or GNP (income per capita), foreign debt, FDIs, eco - tourism; Currency units (foreign & local currencies); Climate change loss and damage as fraction of housing budget; Climate change loss & damage as proportion of taxes, rebates. UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA
Climate Social Issues
Access to/ quality of basic social services and infrastructure Culture (life style, practices, food, rites, ceremonies, etc); Religion (faith, belief, practices, ceremonies, etc); Water supply, sources, quality, locations, needs, uses; Energy supply, uses. need, types, quality, sources; Education, literacy rates, quality, quantity, skills, ages; Gender issues- roles, equality, violence, discrimination; Health services- access, quality, locations, insurance, treatments; Information and communication services- ICTs, use, media literacy Shelter, peace and security, movements, and entertainment. UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA UGANDA
Climate Economic Issues
Access to quality / quantity of economic services and goods Investment development status / portfolio Infrastructure development and expansion Market size (domestic and foreign) Terms of trade (e.g. Balance of Payments) Trade and intelligence competitiveness Industrial production sector capacity Growth rate versus population growth Macro economic stability (fiscal/financial policies) Financial institutions- services, inflation rates, currency stability, Employment status, extractive industry, service industry; Good governance (transparency, accountability, corruption free) UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA UGANDA
Climate Environment Issues
Quality / quantity of environmental (resources) services Pollution, degradation, waste management, and awareness Inter-sectoral policy implementation and coordination Mainstreaming climate change in all sectors Capacity building for adaptation and mitigation Green technology transfer and local innovations Access to the Green Climate Change Fund Research and development and data sharing Public participation based on gender equality Stakeholder- communication coordination
UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA UGANDA
Climate Political Issues
Quality of political system, practice, public services Policies , laws, and regulations Political institutions / policy organs Public institutions / access to facilities Public participation / inclusive societies Public order (peace and security) Civil society organisations’ capacity Access to public policy information Good governance (peace, security , accountability) Press freedom and media pluralism / diversity UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA
Climate Media Issues
Media services with a focus on media reports / programmes: News reports / bulletins (regular or special news) Climate changes features (press, radio, TV, internet) Community journalists committees for climate change projects Community media (radio, TV, newspapers) networks Press clippings, video clips, bulletins podcasts, press releases Interviews done or planned by journalists or media houses Climate change workshops or training done or planned Media house policy or station programmes Gender policy for media houses Membership to science journalism associations Community outreach public awareness activities Engagements with key climate change stakeholders / institutions Good journalism professional code of practice / ethics (compliance) UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA
Climate Assessment Issues Practical Issues
Conduct local community & stakeholders assessment Create incentives for outreach policy, projects, & research Develop community outreach policy & practical networking Include climate assessment or audits in education curriculum Create local climate change assessment committees or clubs
Practical Issues
Assess the social, economic, ecological, & policy environment Promote climate role models, adult literacy. & media literacy. Identify climate change outreach information service barriers. Promote the use of ICTs for climate change social networks, citizen journalism, local radio debates , and media committees.
UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA UGANDA
Conclusions and Recommendations
The media have a social responsibility to provide effective regular coverage of climate science information services for climate change adaptation, resilience, and mitigation policy strategies in Uganda and the entire Africa. Enhanced media coverage of climate change issues is vital for narrowing the current policy, research, knowledge, skills, information, and practice gaps for development. The media can build resilience against the loss or damage of climate change in order to maximize the benefits and opportunities of climate change information in Uganda. The national climate change policy provides for the role of the media in promoting public awareness campaigns in Uganda. UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBALE, UGANDA
Acknowledgements
Uganda Science Journalists Association Secretariat; William Odinga Balikuddembe, USJA President /CEO; Ms. Diana; Internews and Oak Foundation for supporting this USJA executed media project on Understanding Climate Change through Journalism (UCCJ) for Ugandan journalists; Newspaper reporters and editors; Radio / TV reporters, editors and presenters based in the Western Uganda; Mbarara host district administrative, political, religious, civil, business, and civil society organisation (CSO) leaders; Western Uganda district administrative, political, religious, business, civil, and civil society organisation leaders; Workshop administration and management team; the press, The workshop venue and hotel staff. Thank you very much. UCCJ 2016 REGIONAL MEDIA WORKSHOP, MBARARA,
