Media Engagement for UNDP-Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Initiative

The Situation

The Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) has been engaged in promoting good governance and sensitizing major actors on Climate Change Finance in Pakistan. In the last project CPNE worked closely with journalists, editors and other communication professionals. There is a need to initiate dialogues with legislators, policy makers and civil society, whereas media can bridge the gaps by coordinating and documenting the process. The National Climate Change Policy and an implementation framework was developed in 2012. However, the presence of Climate Change Ministry makes Federal government to strengthen the institutions those are major stakeholders in budgetary reform. Furthermore, the Vision 2025 provides a sound basis to integrate climate change budgeting into national development planning.

According to its last Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review (CPEIR), Pakistan currently spends approximately 8% of its domestic budget to respond to climate change, with variances at the provincial level.  As part of the governance structure in Pakistan, the media, civil society organizations, the National Assembly and the Provincial Assemblies all serve as an integral part of an overarching “accountability framework”. This includes addressing issues over both the quantity, as well as quality and effectiveness of climate related budget allocations and delivery. In addition, the CPEIR recommended efforts be increased to sensitize policy-makers and the public on the need for climate change investment and to build greater oversight on the extent to which these financial resources are being spent effectively, particularly with their impact on vulnerable communities.

The CPNE comprehends its role and ready to enhance its efforts to build the capacity of editors and journalists within CPNE framework. There are number of projects and initiatives that indirectly address climate change and mitigation to vulnerable areas and communities. CPNE has been trying to raise this vital and complex issue in the editors’ community. The current changes in weather configuration in the region reflected the degradation of environment and Pakistan is one of the most affected countries. The CPNE recognizes the potential of mainstream climate finance and strengthen the institutions involved in planning, budgeting and implementing climate change actions and will iterate effective coordination among them (Ministry of Climate Change, Planning Commission, Controller General of Accounts and National Disaster Management Authority/ Provincial Disaster Management Authorities).

The CPNE, as implementing partner of Media Engagement for UNDP – Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption initiative will be making efforts to realize the following objectives and outputs:

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment constitutes a second phase of media engagement activities with a view:

  • to increase the quality and quantity of media coverage of climate change and climate finance issues, and to sustain existing knowledge built.
  • to regularly inform, educate, and engage on the topics of: global climate change and its socio-economic impacts in Pakistan; climate change finance; treatment of climate policy issues in public affairs, in particular budgeting and public finance at federal and provincial levels; and the role of the media and access to information in strengthening accountability on climate-related budget decisions.

Activities

Organize three media seminars in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar for media professionals, legislators, policy makers to build ongoing mechanisms for increasing transparency and accountability on climate finance. These seminars enhance engagement of stakeholders by making short video clip for social media to initiate discussion on the issues and influences general public at large.

CPNE organized a Media Educational Seminar on Climate Change Finance to educate media persons and other stakeholders in collaboration with UNDP in Peshawar on January 28, 2019. The objective was to initiate a process where media persons sensitise and aware about climate change and its adverse effects. Further they should know that how budgetary allocations for climate change can help to combat the situation. Click Here to see the Report

A powerful working group will be established in Karachi, Lahore , Islamabad and Peshawar that comprises of 16 members (from the National Media including electronic and print media, civil society, government officials, CPNE representative, UNDP representatives, budget expert and environmental attorney).

Two subcommittees on climate change have been formed in Peshawar and Islamabad to address this issues on regular basis. A comprehensive discussion and sensitization was held with media, government officials civil society representatives. For details (Working Group Islamabad) – (Working Group Peshawar)

Remaining two subcommittees meeting formation will be organized in March 2019 in Lahore and Karachi.

Review of “A Handbook for Climate-Smart Reporting”  developed in 2017 and identify gaps is being updated with and translating it in Sindhi, Urdu and Pashtun languages. As soon as these translations will complete, will be uploaded on webpage and also publish by the end of the March 2019.

On the bases of research made earlier for awarded articles and stories experts of the field will be identified. After giving briefing about climate change its budgetary allocation, monitoring for expenditure related to climate change, referred them in talk shows on Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi and Pashtun Channels.

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