An advocacy group, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has emphasised the need for the federal, states and communities in Africa to end attacks on environmental journalists and activists, who highlight challenges of unsustainable practices, champion community resistance, or demand accountability from perpetrators of unethical practices against the environment in their societies.
It also expressed concern that the practitioners are attacked, threatened and harassed in several ways, including legal harassment, to silence them.
Climate and environmental crises are among the most pressing challenges facing the world, such practices are driven by an insatiable appetite for wealth, the impacts are disrupting local and national economies and the effect of global warming undermines air quality, water quality and supply. Land tenure, unsustainable agriculture, food insecurity and public health issues also threaten human existence.
Speaking at a webinar entitled: ‘Legal Barriers to Environmental Journalism/Activism in West Africa,’ organised by the foundation, the Head of Mediation Facilitation Division, Economic Commission of West Africa, Mr Ebenezer Asiedu, said the unprecedented environmental challenges, which are most human-induced including air and water pollution, deforestation and desertification, land degradation and climate disruption characterised by rising temperatures, drought and devastating rainstorms are critical issues that need extensive interrogation for lasting solutions.
He said it is unfortunate that the media, which are the platforms for information, education, discussion of such issues and activists that promote environmental and agricultural practices often face unwarranted attacks.
According to him, a report published by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on 2024 World Press Freedom Day, has warned against increasing violence and intimidation of journalists reporting on the environment.
The report indicates that at least 749 journalists or news media have been attacked in the last 15 years in connection with reporting or programming on the environment. “Out of this figure, over 300 attacks occurred between 2019 and 2024 constituting about 42 per cent increase in attacks in recent years. These attacks are also extended to environmental activists and outspoken members of the communities affected by unsustainable practices.
“More than 3,100 of such attacks have been recorded against community leaders’ workers, farmers, and civil society groups who raised alarm about irresponsible business practices. More than 40 per cent of these attacks were strategic lawsuits against public participation, which are often frivolous cases, initiated by powerful business actors against local groups and individuals defending the environment,” Asiedu said.
He said freedom of expression must be upheld by the government, and all stakeholders to foster inclusion and participation of everyone in the protection of the environment.
He added that ECOWAS will work with community courts of justices, civil society organisations, the media in West Africa and other institutions to consolidate democracy, expand civic space and promote the right to freedom of expression.
He pledged that ECOWAS would continue to provide needed strategic leadership for the realisation of the commission’s environmental action plan and encourage member states to protect and uphold the right to freedom of expression and collaborate to make ECOWAS’s environmental action plan achievable.
Speaking at the forum, an environmental journalist, Lalla Toure, highlighted challenges faced including getting access to justice, the slow nature of the justice system when a community loses their lands and livelihood, bribery and corruption by judges and multinational firms, intimidations and threats by the military and police and paucity of funding to continue the legal process.
Another journalist, Mr Luka Binniyat, stressed the need for environmental journalists to be protected.
Meanwhile, Senior Programme Officer (MFWA), Kwaku Asante, said this vital role of the media and other environmental watchdogs is hampered by some challenges. These, he noted, include being targeted by powerful individuals and corporations that profit from destroying the land and polluting the air or water bodies.
He said: “They are often threatened or physically attacked. Sometimes, they are harassed, arrested, put in detention and other legal actions, including Strategic Lawsuits Against Popular Participation (SLAPP) to silence them. Such legal actions are often lopsided as the wealthy, powerful and influential individuals and/or corporations fight against average opponents, journalists, media houses and environmental groups and activists.
“Environmental watchdogs who try to expose environmental crimes also risk being subjected to hate and disinformation campaigns aimed at isolating them. In some countries, the government labels the media, civil society organisations and activists working to protect the environment as terrorists or unpatriotic foreign agents and ban or suspend them.”
