Nairobi, Kenya — “Climate change receives inadequate media coverage and is typically only reported following conferences, events, or disasters,” observed journalism lecturer Enoch Sithole during the release of his climate‑journalism study in Nairobi. Sithole, who spent the past 18 months researching climate journalism for his doctoral thesis, noted that South Africa’s media generally focuses on controversies because editors believe they sell. Based at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, he emphasized that sustainable development is crucial for society and that journalism plays a vital role in informing the public and framing the issues that affect it.
The research paper, commissioned by Fojo Media Institute, was unveiled at the Sustainable Journalism Conference in Nairobi. Sithole highlighted that South Africa is one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate emergency, despite its commitments to address the crisis. A key finding of the study is that climate‑change reporting is dominated by coverage of events such as conferences and disasters, with little attention to policy issues, business matters, or dedicated climate publications. Moreover, journalists and researchers have not adequately addressed the topic, and academic research on communicating climate change remains scarce. The study also found that important stakeholders—policymakers, government, and the business sector—communicate insufficiently about the climate crisis, leaving the issue under‑reported.
The study shows that a significant portion of climate‑emergency reports are drawn from foreign newspapers, suggesting that coverage is often reactive and limited to sensational events rather than the day‑to‑day impacts of climate change. “If we do not provide free access to information about climate change, the victims will be left unaware and unprepared for impending disasters,” Sithole warned.
Similarities between Kenya and South Africa were highlighted by climate‑emergency reporter Zeynab Wandati. She said Kenyan climate reporting mirrors the South African situation and aligns with the research findings. Wandati stressed the need for greater collaboration and information sharing among regional journalists to report effectively on this pressing issue. “Climate‑related stories are only covered when they have a sensational angle, like drought‑induced deaths or flooding. At the editorial level, it is often challenging to convince editors to continue covering the topic once it loses its newsworthiness,” she explained during a panel at the Sustainable Journalism conference. She cited an example where a story on Cyclone Freddy’s impact on Malawians was not published by a local outlet, only appearing after an international media house covered it, by which time the details were outdated.
Wandati also noted that newsrooms often focus narrowly on political reporting, neglecting the climate crisis despite its influence on politics and other aspects of life. To address this, her team is educating journalists on framing climate stories to appeal to wider audiences, engaging editors to broaden political coverage of climate issues, and developing a dedicated vertical for exclusive climate content that other media can emulate.
The media faces a complex challenge in balancing economic viability with the promotion of sustainability. While outlets need revenue to remain financially stable, they also play a critical role in informing the public about environmental issues and advocating for sustainable practices. The study, which included input from policymakers, the private sector, media professionals, climate scientists, academics, and civil society, revealed that placing essential climate information behind paywalls can have adverse effects, especially for older individuals who cannot afford it. “It is essential to remove paywalls and make climate information accessible to all. Without free access, those most affected may remain unaware and ill‑equipped to face impending disasters,” Sithole concluded.
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