Publication Name

23 / 60

23
Improved media skills headlined
Extract from an e-mail received from Kieran Cooke,
Principal Trainer, 22 January 2015:
“There is a tendency among many journalists to editorialize and
to express their own opinions in articles rather than present facts
and interviews objectively. The training sessions helped correct
these tendencies: the journalists gained from their exposure to
international media and have quickly learned to present their
articles and pieces in a clear, objective and well balanced way.
Several of the journalists involved in GRID-Arendal’s workshops
have contributed articles to the Climate News Network and
have been encouraged by the exposure of their work to a wider,
international audience. As a HICAP trainer I am impressed by
the continuing enthusiasm shown by the journalists concerned
for reporting often complex environmental issues. They show
commitment and work hard. It is a pleasure to work with them.”
The success of the journalist trainings are being felt in
other ways. ICIMOD, which had little to no concerted
media training engagement prior to HICAP, has decided
to use this model to its other programmes and projects.
Through these media trainings, a critical mass of informed
and well-equipped environmental journalists is being
developed across the region.
Feedback from some grantees can attest to the success of
the trainings:
Om Astha Rai of Nepal wrote “The grant program has been
a great opportunity for me. It gave me a chance to visit remote
villages of Mustang district, which is vulnerable to climate
change. I would have perhaps never reached these remote
Mustang villages had I not received the grant. What I saw and
experienced in Mustang will always help me better understand
impacts of climate change on mountain people. It will help me
link scientific report with field experience for my future stories.”
Saleem Shaikh of Pakistan wrote “Honestly speaking, I
am highly indebted to ICIMOD, HICAP and GRID-Arendal
for the award of media grant, which enabled me to go to
unexplored area from climate change impacts view point and
report on the impacts and local adaptation there.”
SIGNIFICANT OUTCOME CC
19.
Keeping a finger on the Arctic pulse
As a UNEP Centre of Excellence on Polar issues, GRID-
Arendal continues tomaintain a strong focus on the Arctic.
The European-funded ‘Strategic Environmental Impact
Assessment of Development of the Arctic’ project was
successfully completed and officially closed in September
2014. GRID-Arendal attended the final seminar
in Brussels where the network of European expert
institutions presented the project results. GRID-Arendal
was extensively involved in the project by organizing
eight stakeholders’ consultation workshops, the outputs
of which formed a significant contribution to the main
deliverable.19 GRID-Arendal’s work on stakeholder
engagement was well received. GRID-Arendal remains a
Journalists on the Brahmaputra river, Assam, India.
Photo journalist Karen Dias interviewing villagers in India.
Kieran Cooke leading a training session. All photos: Ieva Rucevska.