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The regional media is challenged to ramp up climate change news coverage
CASTRIES - On the eve of the start of this year’s Conference of the Parties (COP) 25 to be held in Madrid from December 1 to 13, civil society organisations, private sector stakeholders and members of the public gathered in Saint Lucia on 22 November to discuss climate change and the civil society response. COP 25 will be hosted by Chile in Madrid after a last minute switch as a result of the ongoing civil unrest in Chile.
Kendel Hippolyte, local award winning poet and dramatist issued a passionate call to artists in the region to become more active advocates in support of action to address climate change. The event also saw the issue of a challenge to regional media to ramp up their climate change news coverage as part of the media’s responsibility to raise awareness on climate change in the Caribbean. This challenge has been issued in a campaign for #caribbeanmedia4climate.
At the event, messages were also shared on the current and historical role of civil society groups active on environmental issues in Saint Lucia. Major emphasis was placed on the need for climate justice in the roll out of measures to mitigate and also adapt to climate change. Presentations were made on the state of the international process and the regional response in the Caribbean.
In addressing a Call to Action for the Caribbean Dr James Fletcher, Regional Climate Champion, outlined clear actions that are required at the individual, country and regional level to advance climate action in Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean. Actions already underway by the youth, private corporations and other organisations, in renewable energy, reforestation, green financing, desalination and solutions for waste management, were also showcased.
The presentations were followed by interactive discussions and questions from the audience for the presenters. In the course of the discussion there was a proposal for a similar event to be organised focusing specifically on fostering youth climate activism in Saint Lucia.
The event was held under the Regional Climate Champions Project led by Climate Analytics in collaboration with Panos Caribbean and with the support of Massy Stores, LUCELEC, the First National Bank, Choice Media, the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association, the Saint Lucia National Trust, the Folk Research Centre, the Caribbean Youth Environment Network and the Optimism Network.
The event was livestreamed to Choice Media Network Facebook page and is available for viewing at https://www/facebook.com/choicemedianetwork/
Kendel Hippolyte Call to Artists
Mangroves. They maintain water quality. Protect them!
Special thanks to our partners the Planning Institute of Jamaica, the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Jamaica, the Climate Investment Funds, the World Bank, the Forestry Department of Jamaica, and the Climate Change Division - Jamaica (CCD Jamaica). Join them on Twitter!
Voices for Climate Change Education: end credits roll on a brilliant 2019 community-based campaign of popular education and engagement.
Special thanks to our partners the Planning Institute of Jamaica, the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Jamaica, the Climate Investment Funds, the World Bank, the Forestry Department of Jamaica, and the Climate Change Division - Jamaica (CCD Jamaica). Join them on Twitter!