Climate Activist Highlights Media’s Struggle with Effective Coordination in Climate Change Initiatives

Mary-Jane Enchill, the Deputy CEO of the HATOF Foundation, recently raised concerns about the media’s role in climate communication in Ghana. Speaking at a JoyNews National Dialogue, she noted that while efforts have been made to include various stakeholders in climate action planning, the media itself is often underprepared for this critical task.

Enchill emphasized the need to empower journalists so they can effectively share climate-related information. She pointed out that many trained journalists do not stay in their positions. “When one media person is trained, are they still in their respective media houses? The answer is no,” she lamented. This leads to a loss of important knowledge needed to communicate climate issues to the public.

Media representatives are sometimes tokenistically included in high-level discussions, which is inadequate. She believes that more journalists should be engaged and trained across the country to improve climate communication. “We need to establish dedicated desks for climate reporting in media houses, just like we have for sports and entertainment,” she suggested.

The media’s focus tends to lean heavily on sanitation issues when discussing the environment. Enchill argues that climate change is a much broader topic and should encompass various aspects of society. Recent research shows that engaging media in climate action can lead to increased public awareness and support—something that Ghanaian media needs to embrace more fully.

Moreover, a study by the International Media Support found that countries with strong environmental journalism see better policy outcomes. This highlights the vital role that trained journalists can play in ensuring effective climate actions.

Enchill concluded by stressing the shared responsibility of both media and policymakers in communicating climate action messaging effectively. “If policymakers want public support, they need to include media meaningfully in the conversation,” she said.

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