The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), in partnership with Susty Vibes, will host a one-day Pre-COP 29 journalists and stakeholder hangout ahead of the 29th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29).
The event is scheduled to be held on the 12th of October 2024 at the nation’s capital, Abuja.
This hangout will convene journalists, civil society organisations (CSOs), policy stakeholders, and climate advocacy professionals to discuss critical issues surrounding Nigeria’s obligations in addressing the growing impact of climate change.
With COP29 approaching, the hangout aims to equip Nigerian media and advocacy groups with strategies to amplify climate narratives and drive national climate action in alignment with global goals.
Nicholas Adeniyi, the Project Officer of CJID’s Climate Change project, highlighted that the hangout will provide participants with the opportunity to network and engage in discussions focused on how best to amplify African voices in global climate discourse.
He emphasised that “the event will guide participants on how to navigate the numerous corporate-sponsored cocktail parties and the extensive array of side events at COP, ensuring their engagement remains focused and impactful”.
The project manager at SustyVibes, Hannah Omokhaye, added that the event will offer an exclusive platform for Nigerian journalists and climate stakeholders to collaborate ahead of COP29, ensuring that the country’s perspectives on its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other climate issues are effectively communicated on the global stage.
The organisers noted that the hangout will feature interactive sessions where CSOs, media representatives, and government negotiators will share experiences, with a focus on the best strategies for effectively participating and communicating COP29 discussions and deliberations to the citizens.
CJID’s Climate Change Reporting Commitments
CJID, through its climate change project, has been actively working to support media practitioners in covering climate change issues across the continent.
In 2022, the organisation launched the COP Reporting Handbook for Journalists to help them navigate climate reporting and drive the coverage of environmental sustainability in Africa.
CJID, with a strong focus on loss and damage, recognises the critical role COP negotiations play in mobilising climate finance to support Africa’s adaptation and resilience efforts. The theme for COP29, “Enhance Ambition and Enabling Action,” underscores the urgency for bold actions and climate finance commitments that align with global climate goals.
In 2024 alone, over 4 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa have been impacted by unprecedented floods, leading to the displacement of 500,000 individuals, including women and children, as well as damage to property and critical infrastructure such as farms, schools, and healthcare facilities.
COP29 will mark 30 years since Nigeria became a signatory to the global agreement aimed at addressing the challenges posed by greenhouse gas emissions.
As Nigeria and Africa prepare for COP29, this hangout represents a crucial opportunity to strengthen climate advocacy and ensure that African voices and concerns are prominently represented on the global stage.
During the hangout, journalists will have the opportunity to utilise the handbook, familiarising themselves with COP terminology, the African agenda, and the key topics to cover at such conferences.
About CJID
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) is a West African media innovation and development think-tank. With a continental scope of work, CJID operates across 11 countries in Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone Africa.
The Centre has been a leader in investigative journalism, innovation, open data, verification, promotion of the welfare and safety of journalists, elections, as well as the freedom of information and expression. CJID’s vision is to promote and enable a media landscape that advances values of democracy.
Signed
Akintunde Babatunde
Director of Programmes, CJID
