The Embassy of the Federal Republic of the Germany in Dhaka

Bangladesh is one of the world’s top 20 countries vulnerable to climate change and global warming. One-third of the country’s people are already affected by the climate change and hree-fourth its population will face serious crisis by 2050.

Climate-induced cyclonic storms have already claimed the lives of thousands of people and displaced many more, pushing the number of internal climate refuges.

So, achieving the country’s millennium development goals (MDGs) is very much dependent on how a government addresses the impacts of climate change. By this time the Government of Bangladesh and many organizations are implementing various programmes to face the challenge of climate change. But more actions are needed to overcome the issues.

Under the situation, News Network has taken up this project for journalists to provide them with better understanding on climate change issues and improve their professional ability for quality reporting on the issue.

Journalists at all levels have a greater role in making people more aware and create mass opinion on the ways for adapting to climate change. Their news

items and articles can greatly help the policy planners, officials, public representatives to undertake need-based policy planning and implement development activities.  Above all, they can play the role of watchdog on environmental issues and governance.

Project covered: Bagerhat, Cox’s Bazar and Rajshahi zones

Agendas:

• To give understanding to local journalists and editors on climate change issues, how it is affecting the country, adaptation and environmental governance.
• Skill development training of local journalists for better news reporting on climate change issues.

Activities were:

• To organise training workshops for the journalists, working for print and electronic media from climate change from project areas.
• To arrange interaction meeting with local media editors/publishers executive editors and news editors.

The one year project has successfully completed in December 2015.