Network launched to boost climate reporting

PEJN members and participants of the 5th Pacific Media Summit 2018 during the launch of the network at the Waterfront Hotel in Nuku’alofa, Tonga on Monday. Picture: WANSOLWARA STAFF

By MEREONI MILI in Nuku’alofa, Tonga

THE Pacific Environment Journalists Network (PEJN) was officially launched at the Waterfront Hotel in Tonga on Monday in a bid to amplify the message that climate change is real and it’s affecting many Pacific Island nations.

The network was founded by 10 journalists from the Pacific that attended COP23 in November last year.

Speaking at the launch, Pacific Islands News Association president Moses Stevens said it was encouraging to see journalists taking the initiative to highlight the detrimental impact of climate change as well as environment issues.

“It is time that the Pacific Islanders tell the world their own stories and the launch of PEJN is part of it,” he said.

He said journalists were agents of their respective media associations and should encourage other journalists report on environment issues.

PEJN interim president Iliesa Tora said the aim of the network was to strengthen environmental reporting and nurture young journalists who were passionate about reporting environmental issues in the region.

PEJN is funded by Internews and Earth Journalism Network. The organisation brought members of PEJN to Tonga for the 5^th Pacific Media Summit.

Internew Philippines and Pacific Island coordinator Imelda Abano said it was important to establish a network such as PEJN so that the quality and quantity of environment and climate change reporting in the Pacific was improved.

Abano is an environment journalist with more than 10 years’ experience and has won multiple awards for her stories on the environment and climate change.