By Gabriel Adonou
Africa’s leading bilingual online newspaper dedicated to the coverage of climate change and the region’s environment, ClimateReporters, has emerged the dominant media organisation in the race for the 2016 African Climate Change and Environmental Reporting (ACCER) Awards.
At the event which took place at the continental secretariat of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) in Nairobi, Kenya, in the presence of journalists, judges and partners, the trio of Atâyi Babs, (Nigeria) Editor , Hubert Didier Madafime, deputy Editor (Benin) and Aaron Yancho Kaah, (Cameroon) Chief Correspondent of ClimateReporters were unveiled as finalists in the 2016 edition of the prestigious awards.
Other finalists include Addeh Midadji Daniel (Togo), Andrew Mambondiyani (Zimbabwe), Diana Wanyonyi (Kenya), Fousseni Saibou (Togo), Francis Mugerwa (Uganda), Madafime Didier Hubert (Benin), Mercy Adundo (Kenya), Ngala Kilian Chimtom (Cameroon), Nichodemus Kioko Kovandi (Kenya), Suy Kahofi (Côte d’Ivoire), Zaina Kere (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Samuel Samson Ogallah, Programme Manager, PACJA who represented the Secretary General Mr. Mithika Mwenda, disclosed that the ACCER Awards is one of the several initiatives by PACJA that provide and encourage African Journalists to propagate the African narrative on Climate Change and Environment and to enhance proactive media participation and contribution as critical stakeholders in addressing the impacts of climate change.
Representative of the Climate Change and Food Security (CCAFS) Program Catherine Mungai, said they were glad to be part of the partners in the 2016 ACCER Awards. In her view, “ACCER Awards presents a great opportunity for engagement of journalists with climate practitioners and sharing information and CCAF’s looks forward to supporting journalists across Africa.”
Benson Ireri from Christian Aid, a long standing partner of PACJA noted that ACCER Awards will play a catalytic role in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. He further congratulated African journalists for demystifying the climate change conversation.
Making reference to other awards on agriculture, environment and female farmers, OXFAM’s Jessica Mwanzia said she was optimistic about the ACCER awards. “Journalist should be motivated as they have an opportunity to learn and share their environment and climate change stories widely through the platform created by PACJA”.
On behalf of the Independent Judging Committee, Aimable Twahirwa from Rwanda revealed that the judging was a rigorous and a competitive process which saw outstanding entries from each category being selected. He further stated that the 2016 edition had finalists fairly representing almost all the regions of Africa. All thirteen finalists were selected from the Print, Radio, Photo journalism and online categories.
The 2016 ACCER Awards Gala Night where the winners from each category (Print, Radio, Photo journalism and online) from among the finalists will be announced and the Awards will take place in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at the United Nations Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
ACCER Awards is a PACJA initiative, in collaboration with ChristianAid, SIDA, OXFAM, UNEP and CCAFS, aimed at catalyzing African media coverage on climate change and environment. It was initiated in response to creating awareness on climate change and environmental conservation by way of rewarding exemplary Environmental Journalists in Africa. The award aspires not only to reshape the African narrative as espoused in Climate Change and Environment debates, but also to build a new culture of and consciousness on how we utilize biological resources in our environment and reduce our carbon footprint.
PACJA is the largest alliance of CSOs with members in over 45 countries in Africa with membership of over 1500, embodying one African voice on environmental and climate justice. Its overall goal is to mobilize and empower African civil society to ensure realization of environmental and climate justice for all people in Africa.
The Alliance collaborates and encourages strategic alliances with international partners, national governments, regional governmental bodies as well as individuals sharing its aspirations, to build an enhanced African profile that assures the continent’s visibility in international climate change dialogue processes
It’s great that journalists reporting on climate change and the environment can be encouraged this way. I laud PACJA’s initiative. Kudos to everyone !