Africa, but the following are key: There are prospects to highlight investigative and data-driven stories on climate change from investigative initiatives like NewsHawks and the Information for Development Trust in Zimbabwe, Namibian Investigative Unit, Centre for Public and Investigative Journalism in Mozambique, Free Press Initiative in Zambia, the Inhlase Centre for Investigative Journalism in Eswatini, Amabhungane in South Africa, and Centre for Investigative Journalism Malawi (CIJM). l Strengthening legacy media The bulk of people in Southern Africa still get their news from legacy media — print, radio, and television — despite the encroachment of digital media technologies on the news ecosystem. In the current digital landscape, strengthening legacy media calls for a multifaceted approach, but in the Southern African context, strengthening public media should be a priority. ● Support community media and local journalism Hyper-local news coverage and communityfocused journalism represent a shift towards reporting that prioritises stories and events at the community level. Radio’s accessibility and language diversity provide an effective means for people-centred climate change reporting. Reporting on climate change via radio is an effective means of reaching diverse audiences, especially those in areas with limited access to other forms of media. Community-focused storytelling and journalism uses various formats, which requires media practitioners working for this sector to be trained in multimedia storytelling approaches. l Capacity building of journalists In Southern Africa, there aren’t many specialised climate journalists. Encouraging the development of journalistic capacity, journalism fellowships, and environmental studies at journalism schools and providing support to national networks of environmental journalists can help the media become more capable over time. ● Coalition building on climate change Freedom of expression and media freedom organisations need to embark on strategic climate change activism. They can combine climate change activism with strategies for freedom of expression and this can be a powerful way to advocate for environmental justice. ● Supporting investigative journalism Investing in investigative journalism requires significant resources and time. With larger media houses struggling to fund investigative reporting in many countries in Southern Africa and beyond, independent investigative projects can step in to fill the gap, particularly in terms of environmental investigations. Media and freedom of expression organisations should form alliances with environmental groups to amplify advocacy efforts and broaden their reach and impact. References (1) IPI (2024) Climate and Environmental Journalism Under Fire: Threats to Free portunities/ and Independent (6) From 2017 onwards, Hivos collaborated with Climate Tracker to train journalists Coverage of Climate Change and Environmental Degradation. Retrieved at https:// in Zimbabwe and Malawi. This capacity building led to a marked increase in quality ipi.media/new-ipi-report-reveals-safety-crisis-faced-by-climate-and-environmen- reporting about climate change, but more still needs to be done. tal-journalists/ (7) Ruth Michaelson and Anja Berretta (2023) (eds) Media Perceptions of Cli- (2) Climate impacts in southern Africa during the 21st Century. Report for the mate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa. Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Retrieved at Centre for Environmental Rights. Retrieved at https://cer.org.za/wp-content/up- https://www.kas.de/documents/282730/22275857/Media+Perceptions+of+Cli- loads/2021/09/Climate-impacts-in-South-Africa_Final_September_2021.FINAL_. mate+Change+in+Sub-Saharan+Africa.pdf/a43e3e86-3a92-8b26-eb83-1119e6d- pdf 0fecf?version=1.0&t=1684303206483 (3) Also see World Food Programme Report “Climate Change in Southern Africa”, (8) This includes Tanzania. June 2021. available at https://www.wfp.org/publications/climate-change-south- (9) https://fesmedia-africa.fes.de/media-and-publications/african-media-barome- ern-africa-position-paper ter-publications (4) Eric Sithole (2023) Climate change journalism in South Africa: noticeable im- (10) Web World Web Foundation (2019) Open Data Barometer — African provements, less than adequate. Fojo Media Institute. Retrieved at https://lnu. Edition. diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1743184/FULLTEXT03.pdf dle/10625/57855/57924.pdf (5) Barbara Trionfi (2023) The change we need: Strategies to support climate and (11) UNESCO – Information as a Public Good: 30 Years of the Windhoek Dec- environmental journalism. A report prepared for the New Institute Centre for En- laration. Available at https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/wpfd_2021_con- vironmental Humanities (NICHE) at the University of Venice, Italy. Retrieved at cept_note_en.pdf Available at: https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/han- https://ipi.media/climate-journalism-new-ipi-study-identifies-challenges-and-op- 13 STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023