Gaps in our earth journalism

By Deusdedit Ruhangariyo

ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM

First of all, I would like to congratulate all of us earth journalists, editors and communicators, who are doing all we can to protect our mother earth from the ravages of climate change.

I must admit, we are doing better earth journalism today than a decade ago. However, as an earth journalist with a passion, I feel we have glaring gaps in our work.

Ramsar sites

For example, Uganda ratified the Ramsar Convetion in 1988. Although we have made some progress in implementing the principles of the convention since, after reaching 11 Ramsar sites covering 354,803 hectares by September 2006, I do not see stories in all our media about these sites.

I am saying this because we all know how these sites are home to globally endangered species of birds and fish, some of which have gone extinct in our main lakes and forests.

Our wetlands network covers about 13% (30,680 sqkm) of the country's land area, of which Ramsar sites cover 12%, making it critical that we should keep our eyes on them.

The Wetland Inspection Division in collaboration with Uganda Wildlife Authority a decade ago promised to develop a management plan for each Ramsar site.

Do all these sites and their catchment have management plans today? If yes, how are these plans being implemented? What is the level of co-ordination and information sharing in the management of all our Ramsar sites, how are all the stakeholders being involved?

What is the level of eco-tourism investment in the sites? How is the advancement of community climate change adaptation and mitigation in the sites and their catchments being handled?

There are various structures being erected in various wetlands throughout the country, National Environment Management Authority talks about some and leaves others? What is the politics of wetlands give-aways in Uganda?

Look at the dangers of sand mining that is going on?  What about the overall wetland degradation and reclamation going on in country? These are ideas that I would like to see in our papers, on radios and television stations.

International conventions

A number of international agreements (multilateral conventions) have been made between several countries to protect habitats and wildlife.

These conventions include; Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)1992,  Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of international importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat 1971, the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972.

Others are the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 1973, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS or Bonn Convention) 1979 and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

As earth journalists, what are we doing to hold our country accountable for assenting to these conventions? How have they been violated in our country? How weak are the action plans to implement them? Which public bodies have been created to implement them and how are they faring? I do not see these stories in our media?

Local people involvement

The other day, I visited Lake Mburo-Nakivali Wetland System Ramsar site here in Mbarara district and the local people were telling me that they were not benefiting from the resources as they should.

As earth journalists, how are we covering the lack of ordinances and bye- laws for environment and natural resources for our wetlands, rivers, lakes and forests' management in the local government administrative units?
 
What about the stakeholders (including community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, local government, wetland management   department, religious and cultural institutions) in the catchment? 

How is the implementation of development activities in the catchment creating more awareness about climate change impacts and supporting community resilience to climate change impacts through adaptation and mitigation?

What actions are being implemented in communities to advance long-term community climate change adaptation and mitigation, agro-forestry, commercial fish farming, planting of drought-resistant and early-maturing crop varieties, water for production and irrigation?

What about adoption of energy saving stoves, solar energy and biogas for better household energy utilisation?  These are but a few of story ideas we should be looking at in our daily work.

But sorry to say, I am keenly following our media and I do not see more of the coverage aimed at protecting our mother earth.

Way forward

Our mother earth is in jeopardy due to increased population and urbanisation, poor land use and management practices, our climate is changing treacherously fast, with extensive and damaging effects on people and wildlife. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events and fires are becoming brutal.

As earth journalists, we canott remain in our comfort zone any more. It is time to report about the polluting energy systems responsible for these climate change impacts and the benefits of shifting to renewable energy future that we all entail.

It is time to report on biodiversity ecosystems that make our mother earth what it should be, the genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity and species diversity.

We need to critically look at biodiversity and food, biodiversity and human health, biodiversity and industry and biodiversity and culture.

We also need to clearly illuminate the importance of biodiversity to our communities so that they can appreciate and, therefore, become champions and defenders of our biodiversity conservation efforts.

It is time to not only look at the big carbon polluters, but also the small carbon polluters because with the increasing population, if we get a billion small polluters they may outcompete the so-called big polluters.

Let us put on spot all our local village council chairmen and their committees, the religious leaders, teachers, opinion leaders and above all, the policy makers to stand up and defend our planet.

Each of us should ask ourselves what kind of earth we want our future relatives to inherit in the year 3,000 and beyond. Let us remember that there will be a year 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 etc and what will be earth like then?

Lastly, but most importantly, let us be earth protection champions, we cannot be like those who say ‘do what I say but not what I do'. Let our actions reflect what we say.