ENVIRONMENT: Fiji Declaration urges more climate change journalism
(From PINA Nius Online)
Nadi, Fiji Islands (PINA Nius Online, 27 July 2000) - A major
environmental journalism conference in Fiji today urged more reporting of
climate change issues.
The Fiji Declaration issued by participants in the joint Asia-Pacific and
Commonwealth environmental journalism congress:
* Encourages journalists to pay close attention to the human drama
occuring, especially in islands states of the Pacific like Kiribati,
Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands and coastal countries like Bangladesh, as
climate change impacts on their lives.
* Encourages editors to devote more resources to cover environmental
issues, especially climate change.
* Encourages reporters to be more knowledgeble about climate change by
availing themselves of training opportunities and information resources
available from international and local organisations.
The joint congress of the Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists
(APFEJ) and Commonwealth Environmental Journalists Association (CEJA) is
hosted by Pacific Islands News Association's PINA Pacific Forum of
Environmental Journalists.
It has the theme Climate Change: The Role of the Media.
In the Fiji Declaration the participants also:
* Extend their grateful appreciation to PINA for successfully organising
the joint congress despite the political crisis Fiji.
* Extend deep appreciation to the generous support of local and
international sponsors: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
Global
Environment Facility (GEF), Water Resources Institute (WRI), World Bank,
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP - Dhaka), United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP - Suva), United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), South Pacific Regional
Environment Programme (SPREP), Sasakawa Pacific Island Nations Fund
(SPINF), Yaeyama
Environmental Journalists, Commonwealth Foundation, French Embassy in
Suva,
Bangladesh Ministry of Environment and Forest and special anonymous
donors.
* Regret attempts by some countries to prevent participants from reaching
Fiji.
* Encourage APFEJ/CEJA secretariats to establish programmes to reach out
to journalists in other developing countries and encourage them to
established similar regional organisations and link up with existing
organisations.
* Appeal to donor orgasnisations, governments and multilaterial aid
agencies to support APFEJ/CEJA activities to promote environmental
awareness.
* Commend the leadership and secretariat of CEJA/APFEJ for implementing
programmes in the first year of a three-year strategic plan.
* Urge APFEJ/CEJA secretariats to strengthen and revitalise national
forums.
* Encourage more coverage of women's role in the environment and the
promotion of more women in decision making structures of the media. - PINA
Nius Online.
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