The Nobert Zongo Unit for Investigative Journalism in West Africa (CENOZO) organised a training workshop for journalists from 3 to 6 July 2023 in Ouagadougou. The training provided an opportunity to enhance journalists’ knowledge of investigative reporting on the environment and climate change, as well as climate-data journalism techniques.
Led by trainer Jérôme Bationo and CENOZO coordinator Arnaud Ouédraogo, the training workshop brought together 20 journalists from various media in Burkina Faso. “The aim of this workshop is to equip journalists and provide them with guidance on climate change-sensitive investigation and climate change data. How should they handle this data? How should they collect it and use it in their media?” explains Jérôme Bationo.
During the workshop, the journalists were introduced to an initial module entitled “Introduction to environmental and climate issues”. This module clarified concepts relating to climate change. Discussions were held on these various concepts (climate change, global warming, climate disruption, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases, climate, environment).
Themes such as climate and environmental protection policies, the limits of application of these policies and the list of documents and actions linked to these policies were then addressed.
The second module, “Introduction to climate data journalism techniques”, was developed. This module introduced participants to advanced Internet research related to climate change. It also covered the various techniques for refining internet searches.
This training workshop enabled journalists to discover the different platforms and tools for researching, verifying and sourcing information.
Finally, digital security was also discussed (securing data and devices, passwords for investigative journalists, etc.). We also add various techniques for checking the reliability of sites.
The journalists were pleased with the training workshop, which gave them a greater understanding of climate issues and research techniques in climate data-journalism. Journalist Danielle Coulibally explains: “My objectives were achieved, because when I came to the training course, I wanted to learn about data-journalism and the techniques for choosing relevant subjects related to the climate or the environment. I got everything I wanted from the course, I was given the tools I needed and I’m really satisfied with it“.
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