The Press Information Department (PID), under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, organized a one-day Capacity Building Workshop titled "Strengthening Climate Change Journalism" at the Information Services Academy (ISA), Islamabad, today.
The workshop was organized to enhance the capacity of climate change beat reporters by equipping them with the latest knowledge, practical tools, and expert insights to improve the quality of climate reporting in Pakistan. Journalists representing leading newspapers, television channels, digital media platforms, and other media organizations from across the country participated in the training.
The workshop featured a series of expert-led sessions covering key dimensions of climate change reporting. Dr. Adil Naseer, Chief Executive Officer of the All Pakistan Geo Scientists Association (APGSA), delivered a session on community-based disaster risk mitigation. Dr. Shaukat Ali, Senior Scientific Officer at the Global Climate Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC), spoke on recent advances in climate science and the effective communication of scientific information through the media.
Mr. Shakeel Ramay, Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Institute of Eco-Civilization Research and Development (AIERD), conducted a session on climate change and city governance, highlighting the need for sustainable urban planning. Dr. M. Rafique, Member Climate Finance at the Pakistan Climate Change Authority (PCCA), discussed climate finance mechanisms and their significance in supporting climate resilience initiatives. The workshop concluded with a practical session on climate reporting exercises conducted by Mr. Ghias Akram, Chief Executive Officer of the Media and Security Research Organization (MASRO).
The closing ceremony was attended by the Executive Director General/Principal Information Officer, Press Information Department, Ms. Raisa Adil, as the Chief Guest. Executive Director General, Information Services Academy, Ms. Samina Farzin, and Ms. Ayesha Tassaduq, Director General, Press Information Department also attended the ceremony.
The distinguished guests distributed certificates among the participants in recognition of their successful completion of the training programme.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Raisa Adil underscored the growing importance of climate and environmental journalism in the face of increasing climate-related challenges. She emphasized that journalists have a vital role to play during emergencies and disasters by providing timely, accurate, and factual information to the public.
She stated that responsible journalism, grounded in truth and facts and communicated promptly, has the potential to save lives during climate-induced disasters. She further emphasized that addressing climate change requires collective action and stressed the need for media, government institutions, experts, and civil society to work together to enhance public awareness and support the country's efforts towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The workshop concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthening climate change reporting.
