-As the Agency trains Liberian Journalists in Environmental Reporting
By Mark N. Mengonfia-mmenginfia@gmail.com
An executive of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said environmental pollution/degradation is everyone’s problem.
Mr. Aaron Wesseh, the Project Manager of the EPA on “cross-Cutting Capacity Development (CCCD)” was speaking at the weekend in Ganta, Nimba County during the start a two-day training for dozens of Liberian Journalists.
It was held the theme: “consolidating Liberia’s media professionals with Rio Convention for improve reporting.”
Mr. Wesseh said this will increase their awareness on the Rio Conventions and improve their reporting on the environment, as “environmental issues affect everyne.”
The EPA official said that his Agency saw the need to conduct this training workshop targeting media professionals in Liberia.
The three Rio Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification derive directly from the 1992 Earth Summit.
Each instrument represents a way of contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals in Agenda 21.
The three conventions are intrinsically linked, operating in the same ecosystems and addressing interdependent issues, the EPA executive added.
According to him, the EPA wants Liberia to make better decisions to meet and sustain global environmental obligations.
The EPA project manager went on to say that they cannot achieve their goals in the absence of capacity building to coordinate efforts, as well as best practices for integrating global environmental practices into planning, making decision, and reporting practices.
Speaking additional he said “the best way to plan is to have information and without information, you cannot plan.”
He indicated that because information is important in planning and members of the media are the medium used to have people informed, it was important for more of such information to be provided to them so they as members of the media can inwardly filter down to the general public.
Additionally, Aaron said “at the end of the project, activities will have resulted in a set of improved capacities to meet and sustain Rio Convention objectives”.
Members of the media hat Liberia has signed to many protocols on environment, but indicated that of the total of 250 multilateral Environmental Agreements, Liberia has ratified about 25 of them.
Some of the topics covered during the two-day Journalists training are: origin of the Rio Conventions, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and how biodiversity enhance food security, ecotourism and infrastructure.
Other topics include United Nations Convention to combat Desertification, how it impact food security, water and socio-economic development, environment & media, how to report on the Rio convention as lead stories on radio, TV, and front pages of newspapers, among others.
The training brought together about 45 Liberian journalists from various institutions across Liberia, together with 15 experts and presenters.
At the end of the training, participants formed themselves as team of reporters to give priority to environmental issues in Liberia.
Report by Mark N. Mengonfia-mmenginfia@gmail.com