Editors Roundtable

April 14, 2023

Dextrus, Lower Parel, Mumbai

In partnership with the Azim Premji University, IndiaSpend curated a series of 2- day Climate Data Journalism workshops across 5 different cities. The main aim is to bridge the wide gaps in understanding climate change and its impact on the socio-economic fabric of the country combined with an evident apathy on the part of editors and owners of mainstream media.

The workshops focused on providing guidance, imparting data and solution journalism to journalists, journalism students, and civil society organizations on how they can contribute in a more meaningful way to reporting on climate change, the odds of sparking public interest and steering attention to understanding one’s role in the fight for the planet.

Through Climate Data Journalism Workshops we have built a cohort of climate change journalism networks. The workshops have contributed to the formation of this collective body, indicating collaboration and shared interests in reporting on climate change-related issues.

The main components of the workshop included sessions on data, visualizations, policy, misinformation and media literacy, writing a climate change story, and a few case studies.

Speakers

Ayaz Memon

Indian sports writer and journalist

Hisham Mundol

Chief Advisor, Environmental Defense Fund

Kartik Chandramouli

Mongabay- India

Divya Chandra

Workshops and Training, BOOM FactCheck

Shubhangi Gupta

Project Associate, WRI

Rajit Sengupta

Centre for Science and Environment

Aditya Valiathan Pillai

Centre for Policy Research

Mayank Aggarwal

Journalist

Govindraj Ethiraj

Founder: IndiaSpend & BOOMLive

Santonu Goswami

Associate Professor

Event Agenda

Climate Data Journalism Workshop ( DAY 1)
(April 14, 2023)

Registration

9:45 am - 10:00 am

Wi-Fi connection and tech check over coffee

Inaugural session

10:00 am - 10:10 am

Welcome note

Defining impact

10:10 am - 10:30 am

This session focuses on the core purpose of the Climate Data Journalism workshops and builds a case for citizen science journalism and identifies gaps that this initiative aims to address.

Lecture

10:30 am - 11:00 am

India and the climate abyss – A concise overview of rising temperatures and its impact in the near future.

Masterclass

11:00 am - 11:45 am

Attributes a reporter writing on climate change and environment needs in order to report on the beat.
Differentiating between a climate change story and a climate event story.
Building blocks of a climate change story. The structure of a well written report – a checklist.
Identifying data sources and data sets.
Hallmarks of good quality data.
Finding spokespersons – Given how diverse the sector is – where do we find experts on carbon markets, Innovation, clean energy, energy transitions etc.
The importance of climate change jargon? International standard for definitions.
Managing translations, simplifying definitions and avoiding jargon and acronyms – Climate change reporting from a regional reporter’s perspective.

Report

11:45 am - 1:00 pm

How Is India Adapting to Heatwaves?: An Assessment of Heat Action Plans With Insights for Transformative Climate Action

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Lunch break

Report & Infographics

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

Introduction to State of Environment report 2023 and the application of infographics and visualizations in narrative-building.

Masterclass & interactive session

3:15 pm - 4:30 pm

Where does the answer lie – India’s long term low carbon pathways
Gearing up for COP28
Introduction to datasets and dashboards

4:00 pm

Coffee break

Climate Data Journalism Workshop ( DAY 2)
(April 15, 2023)

Updates

10:00 am - 10:05 am

Goal setting for the day

Masterclass: Disinformation, misinformation, and verification

10:05 am - 11:30 am

This session will train you to detect the difference between disinformation and misinformation, verify images, text, and videos you receive on WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms. You will learn how to access online fact checking tools and gain hands-on experience of applying them in your daily routine.

Interactive session

11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Introduction to Stats of India – Making Sense of India through data, stories and visualizations

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Lunch break

Masterclass

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

How to produce digital content on environment and conservation.

Deep dive

3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Emerging topics that will dominate the deadlines in the near-to-medium term:

The potential for an Indian pathway to shared, sustainable prosperity.
Just transition as both a moral and a strategic imperative.
Integrating sustainable livelihoods with environmental responsibility.
Climate change as both the crisis of the century, but also the business opportunity of the century.
India’s opportunity to go big and go right on hydrogen.
The importance of methane and what can be done about it