‘Climate crisis’ call to governments by RSF and journalists

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Ahead of the United Nations COP26 climate change conference to be held in Glasgow, Scotland today (November 1), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and over 60 environmental journalists from 34 countries have appealed for respect for the right to cover environmental issues.

The journalists from every part of the world and every kind of media and with all kinds of backgrounds and political views have joined RSF in signing the appeal of "Climate emergency, journalism emergency".

In their appeal to governments, the journalists have denounced the obstacles that limit the right to provide information about these issues, which are nonetheless crucial for all humankind. They have asked governments to officially recognize that the right to information about these issues is inherent in the right to a healthy environment and the right to health.

The journalists who have signed the appeal include Gaëlle Borgia, a 2020 Pulitzer Prize winner based in Madagascar, France's Morgan Large, a food industry specialist, Russia's Grigory Pasko, an RSF Press Freedom laureate who was awarded the Sakharov Prize in 2002, India's Soulik Dutta, an expert in energy and land issues, South Africa's Khadija Sharife, who investigates environmental crimes, and Lucien Kosha, a freelancer covering mining in the DRC, as well as Turkey's Tansu Pişkin and Pınar Tarcan from bianet.

'At least 21 journalists have been killed'

The appeal has pointed out that although the right to cover environmental issues was established as a principle as early as the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, this right is still not being respected.

The signatories of the joint appeal have underlined that in many countries, it is still very difficult to obtain information and scientific data about the environment although such information is of paramount public interest and their coverage can help change behaviour and thereby help combat the unprecedented threat posed by global warming.

Because of the dangers linked to covering environmental issues in some parts of the world, at least 21 journalists have been reportedly killed in the past 20 years for investigating the related sensitive issues.

RSF and the journalists signing the appeal have also called for concrete implementation of international law on the protection of journalists.

The appeal

'Climate emergency, journalism emergency'

Enforcing the right to cover environmental issues is now vital.

We, journalists on all continents specialising in environmental and climate issues, join Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in addressing a solemn appeal to all countries participating in the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26). due to begin in Glasgow on 1 November.

According to the 10th principle of the declaration issued at the UN "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, "each individual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities." Three decades later, this principle has unfortunately still not become a tangible reality.

In many countries, it is extremely difficult if not impossible to obtain information and scientific data about the environment and the public policies affecting it, although such information is of paramount public interest. We are moreover often systematically denied access to many installations and/or territories. Some of us are also subjected to arbitrary judicial proceedings and are the targets of threats, intimidation and even physical attacks, when not killed in cold blood.

Worldwide, at least 21 of our fellow journalists were murdered in the past ten years for investigating sensitive issues such as illegal mining, deforestation, land seizures and industrial pollution. Nearly 30 others were jailed. Seventy-five percent of these violations have taken place since the signing of the Paris Agreement in late 2015. Like the environment and the climate which we defend, our situation is deteriorating dangerously.

Today, we denounce the obstacles that limit our right to provide information about these issues, which are crucial for all humankind.

There is an urgent need for governments to take account of the role that the media play in defending the environment and combating climate change. Our investigative reporting draws attention to the growing threats to the planet we share, and helps to convince the actors involved to change their behaviour. When correctly informed, the public is also better able to combat the climate threat that is unprecedented in humankind's history. And governments are better able to assume their responsibilities.

We ask governments to officially recognise that the right to information is inherent in the right to a healthy environment and the right to health. To end the growing threats to those of us who are most vulnerable, we also call for concrete implementation of international law on the protection of journalists. And, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2222, adopted in 2015, we call on governments to give their judicial systems the resources to combat the continuing impunity for crimes of violence against journalists.

A transparency requirement must also apply to governments and the private sector. The common interest must prevail over economic and sovereign interests. We have just one planet. It is crucial that everyone plays their part in ensuring that we are able to exercise our right to provide information without threat or hindrance.

Signatories

1 Özer AKDEMIR, Turkey

2 Arlis ALIKAJ, Albania

3 Melis ALPHAN, Turkey

4 Enkhzaya BAASANJAV, Mongolia

5 Nathalie BERTRAMS, Germany

6 Gaëlle BORGIA, Madagascar

7 Martin BOUDOT, France

8 Kátia BRASIL, Brazil

9 Eliane BRUM, Brazil

10 Marcelo CANELLAS, Brazil

11 Andrei CIURCANU, Romania

12 Lilia CURCHI, Moldavia

13 Angelina DAVYDOVA, Russia

14 Sheila DEBONIS, United States

15 Vanina DELMAS, France

16 Soumik DUTTA, India

17 Thomas FISCHERMANN, Germany

18 Emmanuel GAGNIER, France

19 Atokhon GANIEV, Tajikistan

20 Ingrid GERCAMA, Netherlands

21 John GROBLER, Namibia

22 Amina JABLOUN, Tunisia

23 Burcu KARAKAS, Turkey

24 Guido KOPPES, Netherlands

25 Lucien KOSHA, DRC

26 Margaux LACROUX, France

27 Morgan LARGE, France

28 Nelly LUNA, Peru

29 Lazaro MABUNDA, Mozambique

30 Fiona MACLEOD, South Africa

31 Konstantina MALTEPIOTI, Greece

32 Eduardo MILITAO, Brazil

33 Sayana MONGUSH, Russia

34 Gela MTIVLISHVILI, Georgia

35 Zuza NAZARUK, Netherlands

36 Alex NEDEA, Romania

37 Vadim NEE, Kazakhstan

38 Alexandre NHAMPOSSA, Mozambique

39 Mariam NIKURADZE, Georgia

40 Anne Sophie NOVEL, France

41 Elena NOVIKOVA, Kazakhstan

42 Hazal OCAK, Turkey

43 Marie PARVEX, Switzerland

44 Grigory PASKO, Russia (exile)

45 Anastasia PAVLENKO, Uzbekistan

46 Tansu PISKIN, Turkey

47 Guillaume PITRON, France

48 David QUINTANA, Nicaragua

49 Anna Bianca ROACH, United States

50 Sofia RUSOVA, Russia

51 Leonardo SAKAMOTO, Brazil

52 Hélène SERVEL, France

53 Khadija SHARIFE, South Africa

54 Khaled SULAIMAN, Canada/Iraq

55 Pinar TARCAN, Turkey

56 André TRIGUEIRO, Brazil

57 Tomasz ULANOWSKI, Poland

58 Estacio VALOI, Mozambique

59 Jonathan WATTS, United Kingdom

60 Tehmine YENOQYAN, Armenia

61 Ning YEN, Taiwan

62 The staff of AFAQ ENVIRONMENTAL MAGAZINE - MAAN DEVELOPMENT CENTER, Palestine

63 The staff of REPORTERRE, France

(PT/SD)