MEDIA KEY TO DEVELOPING ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS

Technical experts emphasizes the importance of Media in developing and publicizing National Environmental report.

An interface between technical experts and Malawi environmental journalists aimed at briefing the press on national state of the environment and out report outlook processes and its importance to national economy and protection ecosystems

LILONGWE (Malawi) - Environmental experts have described the Media as a key partner in the development of the Malawi National State of the Environment Outlook Report (NSEOR), a report that will highlight the drivers of environmental change, the current state and trends of the environment, the effectiveness of policy responses and and provide context for future national plans, writes Fostina Mkandawire Kamanga of Malawi News Agency (MANA).

Malawi Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Acting Director, Tawonga Mbale -Luka and other experts underscored importance of the media during a media orientation that was held recently in Lilongwe, the capital city of the Southern African nation to inform journalists on the processes and activities put in place for the successful development of the next NSEOR.

She said there has been preparatory activities towards the commencement of developing the NSEOR, therefore reporters have to be part of every step so that they could be developing well-articulated stories to raise awareness to the public.

"We noted a gap on environmental reporting therefore journalists need to be well capacitated with enough information for their work, we will further work hand in hand with journalists through Association of Environmental Journalists, to broaden their understanding on environmental reporting," Mbale said.

She expressed her appreciation to United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and GRID Arendal for partnering with MEPA to prepare Malawi’s next State of the Environment and Outlook Report with financia support from Norway. The last NSEOR was produced in 2010 and it has taken over thirteen years to update it due to financial constraints.

MEPA Director General Tawonga Mbale-Luka (centre) flanked by Head of Disasters and Conflicts Branch at UNEP's Ecosystem Division, Cecilia Aipira and Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi board member, Moses Phiri

Mbale-Luka said due to changing times and emerging environmental issues, the country needs to develop a report that will assist in developing new policies for environmental protection.

"Environmental changes continue affecting every aspect of the economy, there is an increase on the frequency and intensity of disasters, an increase in biodiversity loss, we need to document and see how we will respond to these environmental emerging issues," she said.

Head of Disasters and Conflicts Branch at UNEP's Ecosystem Division, Cecilia Aipira said that the country's social economic development was directly dependent on the environment, therefore it was imperative to develop a report that would provide policy response.

She revealed that the report would be launched in September, 2025, adding that it was not just a document that could be finalized within a shortest period of time, therefore having everyone on board would facilitate and provide room for soliciting diverse views.

"We are calling for nomination of national experts (who might contribute to the NSEOR) before 10 June 2024, as one way of enriching the type of people that we will have; therefore these people should be nominated by the public to join already identified experts who are on board," Aipira explained. ·       

Board Member for the Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi, Moses Phiri appreciated the importance of the decision to engage the media when developing important documents such as the NSEOR.

"We are dedicated to collaborating closely with MEPA, UNEP, the Co-Chairs who are facilitating preparation of the report and the chapter authors. We believe there is much we can contribute, both during the development process and the implementation phase," he added.

Malawi Environment Protection Authority is the principal agency for the protection and management of the environment and sustainable utilization of natural resources and the Environment Management Act of 2017 empowers the authority to prepare an Environmental Action Plan every Five years .

Group photo: Environmental experts and members of the Association Environmental Journalists who attend NSEOR briefing in Lilongwe

Fostina Mkandawire Kamanga is also an executive member of the Association Environmental Journalists in Malawi,