Foundation on media and climate change that
involved interviews with 200 journalists in
seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa revealed
that newsrooms in these countries lack the
necessary resources, expertise, and structures
to effectively cover climate change. (7)

Hub in Eswatini are also involved in climate
change reporting.
Youth involvement is crucial in addressing
environmental challenges, as they often bring
fresh perspectives, energy, and innovative
ideas to the table. They, however, need support
to take an active role in the fight against climate
change.

Despite the constraints, the emergence of
environmental investigative journalism units
in the region such as Oxpeckers in Southern
Africa, Africa’s first investigative environmental
journalism unit, is improving climate change
communication and reporting in the region.

Challenges and prospects
for the practice of climate
change journalism

The emerging national-based associations such
as the Association of Environmental Journalists
in Malawi (AEJ-Malawi) and continental ones
such as the African Network of Environmental
Journalists (ANEJ), are also playing a critical
role in foregrounding climate change reporting
in newsrooms.

Journalists in the region are facing difficulties
covering
climate
change,
even
though
international funding organisations have helped
to lessen the pressure on them by providing
funding and technical assistance.

Emerging youth-based coalitions such as
Ecological Youth Forum of Angola and Tertiary

STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023

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