In a bid to foster exceptional reporting on climate change issues, the Centre for Excellence in Journalism (CEJ) at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, honored four journalists from various language-media with the inaugural ‘Climate Reporting Awards’. The event, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, aimed to highlight and encourage journalistic expertise in environmental reporting.
The awards ceremony, held for the first time, celebrated the outstanding contributions of journalists who participated in the Green Media Initiative boot camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Punjab. These camps provided intensive training to 24 journalists, equipping them with the necessary skills to report effectively on climate-related issues.
Dr. Rüdiger Lotz, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, commended the awardees for their invaluable contributions to the climate change discourse. He emphasized the role of journalists in enabling climate action through informative storytelling.
The awards were presented to four journalists—two from each province—for their exemplary news stories produced after attending boot camps in Swat and Rahim Yar Khan. The winners and runners-up included:
**Rahim Yar Khan**
– Winner: Irfan Ulhaq, Correspondent, Dawn Media Group
Story title: Salinity control plan reclaims 1.3 acres farmland
– Runner-up: Mahjabeen Abid, Producer/Anchor, PTV National Multan
Story title: Air pollution: A big reason for complications during pregnancy
**Khyber Pakhtunkhwa**
– Winner: Arif Ahmad, Reporter, Zama Swat
Story title: An entire village in Swat flooded due to climate change
– Runner-up: Laiba Hussan, Reporter, Aaj News
Story title: Solar energy’s unintended impact: Peshawar’s silent drought crisis
The winners were selected by a jury comprising senior journalists Shahzeb Jillani and Afia Salam from a pool of 20 entries submitted by alumni of the Green Media Initiative boot camps.
In addition to the awards ceremony, a resource book titled ‘Pakistan: On the Frontline of Climate Change’ was launched. Authored by Rina Saeed Khan and edited by Farahnaz Zahidi, the book provides journalists with essential insights and tips to enhance their climate change reporting skills.
Amber Rahim Shamsi, Director of CEJ, underscored the institution’s commitment to fostering high-quality journalism, particularly in the realm of climate reporting. She expressed gratitude for the partnership with GIZ and their shared vision for impactful reporting.
In his keynote speech, Ahmad Shabbar, Founder and CEO of GarbageCan, emphasized the importance of accurate reporting on environmental issues, highlighting humanity’s interconnectedness with nature and the urgent need for action.
The Centre for Excellence in Journalism at IBA Karachi continues to play a pivotal role in elevating journalistic standards across Pakistan, reaffirming its position as a leading journalism training institution in the country.
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