Until justice is first served to the media, affected communities and vulnerable people who suffer from a variety of environmental hazards – the majority of which are brought on by climate change – will keep demanding it
Every day, campaigners advocate for climate justice, making their voices heard in a bid to protect Mother Earth from the detrimental effects of human activity. Many view this struggle as the only sustainable path to ecological salvation and have dedicated their lives to the cause. Even if this seems encouraging, it is regrettable that many of these campaigners have acted ignorantly, failing to recognise that climate justice is simply media justice.
Breaking down the Concepts
Although in the public domain, it is commonly referred to as “media”, which merely signifies the means of carrying information in the form of opinion, advocacy, propaganda, advertising, artwork, entertainment, and other methods of expression to a very large audience. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that there are just “carriers” of information rather than the “message” itself.
Climate justice, on the other hand, is a type of environmental justice that focuses on the unequal effects of climate change on disadvantaged or otherwise vulnerable groups. So, whenever the word ‘climate justice’ is used, it is critical to recall this fundamental truth in order to bridge the gap between advocacy and practical climate action.
In light of this, the terms “communication” and “unequal” are pivotal in guiding this discussion. Now with this understanding, the following question arises: if communication is viewed as an art of shaping meanings, how then can it be deployed in a more intentional manner as an advocate to tackle the ongoing inequalities that hinder climate justice? Stakeholders need to ask themselves why it is that the climate is rapidly depleting and justice is very far from its reach in the face of available innovative communication and information technologies globally. These are some of the most pressing issues that demand attention.
Media for Climate Justice Workshop
In response to the above questions, the International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI), a non-profit organisation that promotes social and environmental rights, on Thursday, August 14, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, convened a diverse group of youth leaders, media professionals, and environmental advocates as part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project in the country to brainstorm on the answers to this worrisome but very critical matter.
Environmental journalists, science communicators, members of civil society networks, and young leaders were invited to share their experiences on a selection of topics, including how to create engaging climate stories, how to use digital tools to promote climate activism, the role of the media in climate advocacy, and the relationship between social justice, media, and climate change.
Lauritta Boniface, one of the panelists and co-founder of the Ecocykle Development Foundation (EDF), who spoke about young people’s perspectives on climate issues, described the engagement as a timely conversation that highlighted the importance of youth in media in shaping climate policy and action in Nigeria.
According to her, the event gave her the opportunity to respond to three pressing questions as a climate leader in Nigeria: what do young Nigerians see as the most pressing climate concerns confronting their communities today? The second question is: how do young people see the government’s commitment and capacity to address climate change? Finally, how do climate change consequences such as flooding, drought, and heatwaves affect Nigerian youth livelihoods, education, and health?
“I am grateful to ICCDI for creating this platform because of its thoughtful discussion on the climate realities facing young Nigerians,” she commented.
Zainab Bala, founder and executive director of The Scoop Storytelling Initiative, stressed the importance of communication in promoting environmental equity.
In her keynote speech, the climate diplomacy and policy expert used the success of her organisation’s campaign against the environmental destruction caused by the poorly explored Ororo Oil Well in the offshore Niger Delta to demonstrate how strategic or developmental communication can promote climate justice and strengthen local communities.
Perfect Johndick, another panelists at the event, believes that there can never be climate justice without first ensuring media justice.
The ecofeminist who works in the Niger Delta region, using graphics and multimedia to spotlight the ecological injustice that is ravaging the oil-rich region, went on to explain that at the heart of every climate struggle is a story of loss, resilience, and resistance. Unfortunately, she added, these experiences are sometimes buried in silence, misinformation, or narratives driven by people who are far distant from the front lines.
“I am deeply grateful to the organisers for creating this bold space, to my fellow speakers for the brilliance they shared, and to the participants whose energy proves that the future of climate advocacy is already here,” she addressed the people who had assembled to mark the event. “Let us not just tell stories. Let us tell stories that disrupt, stories that heal, and stories that move humanity a step closer to justice.”
Conclusion
From the notions of climate justice and the media to the opinions and voices of the stakeholders at the workshop, it is evident that communication plays an essential role in the struggle for climate justice. To further buttress its significance, the Bible teaches that God Almighty used the art of communication to create the universe.
In recognition of this harsh reality, the 13th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) was established by the UN with the express purpose of encouraging immediate action to address climate change and its effects on livelihoods and human existence in general. Section 26 of Part V of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act (CCA, 2021), which focuses on the Carbon Budget and National Climate Change Action Plan, also underscores the importance of climate education.
Olumide Idowu, co-founder and CEO of ICCDI, reflected on the outcome of the meeting and asserted that the message is clear: “Media is not just a messenger – it is a catalyst for climate justice in Nigeria and beyond.”
Truth be told, it is pathetic that with all the existing knowledge of media’s role in addressing this life-threatening crisis at hand, promoters and so many climate activists still deploy it as a damage control tool they use only when climate disasters strike. This is truly sad. The media must be understood from the perspective of communication, which is human-induced to the machines that carry such messages.
For the media to be used effectively, it must be viewed as a business and livelihood source, and its practitioners as people with goals and aspirations who have the desire to improve their societies.
Environmental communicators must be invited as key stakeholder and strategic partner in the climate discourse, given the required material support, as well as the freedom to do their jobs, not only as a tool for raising awareness, but also as a lifeline for accountability, a bridge for empathy, and a catalyst for systemic change.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja