Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has lauded the media for playing a crucial role in disseminating information that helps change the mindset of citizens on sustainable use of the environment.
This comes at a time when the country is working towards a clean, safe and healthy environment for an empowered society.
Speaking during a media workshop in Bulawayo yesterday, EMA environmental education and publicity manager, Ms Amkela Sidange said the media is a powerful tool for influencing, cultivating and shaping attitudes towards environmental management.
“The purpose of the workshop is to unpack the major environmental issues affecting the country so as to create an informed basis for standard environmental reporting and outlining the mandate of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and its sister departments in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry,” she said.
Ms Sidange said the agency is working on strategies to enhance proper disposal and management of waste and to protect the environment. She said there was a need for communities to take up waste recycling as a business.
“The workshop seeks to unpack the environmental framework of the country for informed coverage of environmental issues by the media fraternity. The media can play a crucial role in disseminating media related information at grassroot level,” she said.
Speaking during the same event, EMA Bulawayo provincial manager, Mrs Sithembisiwe Ndlovu said the media fraternity has a major role to play in environmental management.
“The media fraternity is responsible for agenda setting when it comes to informing the public as well as influencing decisions on environmental sustainability,” she said.
Mrs Ndlovu said the country is severely affected by environmental challenges such as pollution, land degradation, bio diversity loss among others.
The major drivers being climate change, population growth, poverty and industrialisation.
“The fourth estate has to fully understand these dynamics for the purpose of environmental reporting. This workshop will help us to build a befitting relationship with media fraternity so as to help the nation have a better understanding of the emerging environmental issues,” said Mrs Ndlovu.
“The media has a tremendous impact on society hence the need to capacitate them for the benefit of the country. As EMA, we want to share with you vital information on major environmental issues at hand in the country as it will go a long way in ensuring that our environmental reporting is done from an informed position.”
Mrs Ndlovu said innovative and nature based solutions should be applied to tackle environmental problem.
“As EMA, we envision a clean, safe and healthy environment for an empowered society and sustainable growing economy by 2030 in line with our vision as an agency. The fourth estate remains vital in the achievement of the said vision,” she said.
Mrs Ndlovu said the management of environmental goods is intricately enshrined in the Environmental Management Act, Forestry Act and Parks and Wildlife Management Act as well as a number of Statutory Instruments.
She said the legislation is meant to enhance sustainable development and ensure sanity in the way in which environmental resources are managed.
“Environmental management in this country is based on the concept of team work which is also premised on having shared and clearly defined roles of various stakeholders. That is why we need every stakeholder to come on board from grass root level right up to national level,” she said.
The one-day workshop was attended by journalists from Matabeleland South, Bulawayo and Midlands provinces.
@DubeMatutu
Online Reporter