Page 50 - The Channel Issue 2 2010

50 | ISSUE 2 2010 | THE CHANNEL

More than 1500 delegates from 95 countries took part in this year’s Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Bonn on "Climate Change and the Media”. Representatives from the media, science, politics and business, among them Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, Adil Najam, a leading author for the IPCC and Ingrid Deltenre, DG of the EBU, discussed the media's role and responsibility in raising awareness for the

challengesofclimatechange

Deutsche Welle Director General Erik Bettermann pointed out the role of media as chroniclers and interpreters of the fight against climate change: “I am convinced we need a climate change in the heads of journalists as well. Reporting needs to be about more than just the day’s news. It needs to drive people to action, while showing problems, solutions and different perspectives – and to provide hope.” Internet, blogs and Twitter are the new platforms for exchange of ideas and opinions. As the ‘climate generation’ is growing, Bettermann said that the media "can also highlight the potential of moving towards green technology and ecologically friendly consumption and production. They can showcase creativity and innovation, new models of working

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and new fields of work – as well as a new quality of life.”

GLOBAL CONCERN

Research institute Synovate and Deutsche Welle presented the complete results of a worldwide study on climate change – the third survey that Synovate has completed on this subject. People all over the world continue to see climate change as a threat. The majority expect the media to not only inform the public about climate change, but also educate them about the

consequences. At the same time, the number of people who aren’t concerned at all has risen in the last two years as well: from 4% in 2008 to 9% now. Synovate surveyed more than 13,000 people from 18 different countries about the potential threats, the effects and the possibilities that exist to counteract climate change.