Understanding environmental communication (co-edited with Margaret Karembu)(published by ACCE-Kenya)

Abstract

Evidence indicates that environmental concerns have not been given the critical attention they deserve in many developing countries. The reverse is the case in most countries in the North. In Journalists for example, tend to regard environmental stories as dry and less lively as opposed to political, business, and entertainment stories. Furthermore, there is also a general feeling among many journalists that environmental stories are too technical and therefore, only of interest to international organizations such as UNEP, environmental experts, professionals, academics and some international lobbyists. The media like the public for that matter, have so far, failed to set the environmental agenda consistently. Yet, environmental issues are issues of life and death. They are issues of sustainability of the earth and the future of human beings.The urgent challenge therefore is for the journalists to take the lead in dealing with environmental questions. The starting point is for them to appreciate these concerns and take them to their readers. This book is an attempt to develop this appreciation in journalists, and it raises fundamental environmental concepts, questions and concerns, and provides an analysis of the functions of the journalist, suggesting what can be done to enhance environmental journalism in Kenya. It is a result of training workshops conducted among journalists in Kenya, and it has a content based approach, seeking to ground journalists in basic environmental concepts, while tackling technical and skills concerns. The book has various contributions from experts in environmental concept and from environmental journalism specialists including: Environmental journalism; The philosophy and principles of communicating on the environment; Challenges of writing on the environment; Essential elements in communicating on the environment; Environmental issues of arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya; An overview of the media and the environment in Kenya; Chemicals and the environment; Environmental concerns in Kenya