Frontline international law expert and global vice chair of the International Law Association, Professor Damilola Olawuyi (SAN) has called for increased financial and technical support for media practitioners in Africa to allow them to effectively play their crucial roles of driving public discourse and awareness on all aspects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The law professor, who is also a UNESCO Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development HBKU, made these remarks while delivering a guest lecture themed “Climate and Sustainability Reporting in Africa: The Role of the Media,” at the Hiwar Scholars Seminar held at Northwestern University, in Doha, Qatar (NUQ).
The event which brought together academics, students and stakeholders in media who converged under the aegis of NUQ’s Hiwar Speaker Series, featured opening remarks from Professor Zachary Wright, associate dean for faculty affairs at NUQ, while the session was moderated by the chairperson of the Africana studies minor at NUQ, Professor James Michael Hodapp. Also in attendance was Dean Susan L. Karamanian of the Hamad bin Khalifa University Law College.
While emphasising the role of the media in promoting public awareness on sustainablity, Professor Olawuyi, SAN noted that: “The media has significant power and skills to educate and create awareness on climate change and the SDGs; shape and maintain public discourse on sustainability; influence consumer choices through climate-aligned advertising; empower the public to understand their environmental rights; and most importantly serve as public watchdog and gatekeepers by shining the spotlight on success stories, while highlighting those that are often left behind, especially women, youth, indigenous and other vulnerable groups amongst others.
However, lack of financial resources, limited support for capacity development and the constant fear of reprisals continue to serve as hindrances to active climate and sustainability-aligned media reporting in many parts of Africa.
Olawuyi emphasized the need for international solidarity and development support, through targeted financial empowerment and re-skilling initiatives that will empower African media practitioners to actively drive sustainability focused reporting.
He also called on media practitioners to seize the momentum of the ongoing efforts to accelerate the SDGs, by using effective language, methods and channels of communication, both traditional and social media, to engage diverse African audiences on sustainability and climate action.
While also presenting findings from his latest book titled Net Zero and Natural Resources Law, published by Oxford University Press, Olawuyi called for concerted efforts to support media practitoners across Africa to be able to positively shape the narrative and highlight Africa’s success stories on sustainablity and net zero transition.
He noted that this new book outlines the risk mitigation strategies and contractual techniques – focusing on net-zero and climate-aligned sustainability reporting, financing, green procurement, climate-smart infrastructure development, transparent climate disclosures and reporting, gender justice, and other sustainability safeguards that are required to ensure a just and inclusive energy transition.
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