Kinshasa, August 5, 2024 – A training session was held today, bringing together journalists from various local media outlets specializing in environmental issues. This initiative, launched under the project “Enhancing Media Capacity to Implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” represents a crucial step in engaging Congolese media in environmental governance.
Organized by Kilalo Press in partnership with Mkaaji Mpya and supported by Internews, this eight-month training aims primarily to enhance the skills of Congolese journalists regarding conservation policy, rather than focusing on field conservation actions. Franck Zongwe Lukama, Director of Kilalo Press, emphasized the critical need for better coverage of environmental issues in the media: “Environmental issues are often underrepresented in newsrooms. That’s why Kilalo Press has decided to make coverage of these issues its primary focus.”
The project’s main goals are to raise public awareness about biodiversity conservation, improve journalists’ understanding of biodiversity governance policies, promote collaboration between media, civil society, and government institutions, and assess progress in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF-KM). Throughout the day, participants benefited from three in-depth presentations on the GBF-KM, followed by discussions and practical exercises. Journalists expressed satisfaction with the quality of the training, highlighting the importance of the opportunity provided. Here are some notable testimonials:
The first presentation covered the state of biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), introducing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its implementation. This presentation highlighted the DRC’s commitment to global efforts to combat biodiversity loss. The Ministry of Environment reaffirmed its dedication to fulfilling this international commitment. It was emphasized that the successful implementation of the CBD requires the participation of all stakeholders, including journalists.
The second presentation detailed the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF-KM). It stressed the need for a thorough understanding and effective implementation of these targets to protect and restore biodiversity. The presentation also addressed the specific conservation challenges faced by the DRC and proposed strategies to overcome them.
In the third presentation, Daniel Mukubi emphasized the importance of Section K of the framework, which focuses on communication, education, and awareness. He demonstrated how to enhance awareness, understanding, and appreciation of biodiversity knowledge systems. He also underscored the need to raise awareness across all sectors and actors about the urgent need for action to implement the Framework. This section highlights the essential role of science, technology, and innovation in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The significance of this training extends beyond the mere acquisition of skills by journalists; it also lies in the diversity of media represented. Among the trained journalists were those from radio, television, print media, magazines, and online platforms, reflecting a significant advantage. This diversity ensures broad and varied dissemination of information, reaching multiple and diverse audiences. It also helps ensure that biodiversity issues reach various segments of the Congolese population, fostering collective awareness.
Daniel Mukubi, head of the biodiversity office at the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and Congolese negotiator at COP15, brings valuable dual expertise to this project. His international negotiation experience and governmental expertise provide journalists with precise and current knowledge on the GBF-KM, enriching the training with both governmental and international perspectives. He highlighted that the main challenges are communication-related: “The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was developed with a so-called pan-governmental and pan-societal vision, meaning that the entire government and society should be involved in its implementation. However, in the DRC, it has been observed that decision-makers and most stakeholders are not sufficiently informed about this framework to take the necessary actions to reverse biodiversity loss. Therefore, spreading information about the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has been deemed crucial, and it is necessary to train journalists, who are communication professionals, to relay this information nationally as much as possible. This global biodiversity framework was adopted in December 2022, and training like this, aimed at enhancing journalists’ capacities, significantly contributes to popularizing ongoing actions. We believe that if such initiatives expand across all provinces of the DRC, awareness and understanding regarding biodiversity, its value, and the need for its sustainable preservation will be greatly improved.”
This eight-month project aims to assess the progress made by the DRC Government in achieving the 23 targets of the GBF-KM by facilitating inclusive media dialogue. This capacity building for journalists plays a key role in enabling more informed and engaging communication on environmental issues.
The Editorial Team