Catholic Bishops in Zambia Tell Catholic Media to Give Environment a Voice

Lusaka, 05 June, 2024 / 9:05 PM

Members of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) are calling upon Catholic media organizations in the country to prioritize climate-based reporting to create more awareness on environmental conservation.

In their statement on the occasion of World Environment Day celebrated annually on June 5, ZCCB members said that media outlets are “active participants in shaping public discourse and driving action on climate change effects, prevention, and adaptivity.”

“We urge all media organizations to prioritize environmental reporting to create awareness,” the Bishops said.

The added, “ZCCB Communications office calls on all Catholic media outlets to embrace climate reporting in accordance with the principles and teachings of Laudato si, Pope Francis' landmark encyclical on climate, and integrate these teachings into reporting practices.”

 “As communicators of faith, we have a unique opportunity to promote a holistic understanding of environmental issues grounded in the principles of care for creation and solidarity with the vulnerable,” the Bishops said.

The Catholic Bishops noted that by reporting on environmental issues, media outlets will not only inform the public but will also inspire meaningful change and foster a more profound sense of ecological stewardship.

The Catholic Bishops said that increasing public awareness and engagement in environmental issues is crucial in promoting sustainable development in the Southern African nation that is battling drought-related challenges.

“As Zambia grapples with the ongoing drought, which has forced the country into a power crisis resulting in 12 hours of load shedding, a burden on citizens, media outlets across the nation play a pivotal role,” the Bishops said.

World Environment Day, which is celebrated across the world, is the biggest international day for the environment. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and held annually since 1973, it has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach.

Zambia is celebrating the event this year under the theme, “Accelerating land restoration for drought resilience in Zambia.”

The theme focuses on “the urgent need to restore degraded lands to build resilience in the face of climate-related challenges and their grave effects, such as the current drought situation in Zambia.”

In their statement, the Bishops said that the country’s current situation of drought goes beyond the crisis level and calls for immediate action.

Zambia’s drought, they said, underscores the urgent need for heightened awareness and immediate action to address environmental challenges and the need to diversify other sustainable means of energy.

ZCCB members have also called for concerted efforts in addressing environmental challenges in the country, saying, “Together, let us not just be observers but catalysts for change.”

“Let us drive the urgent agenda of environmental conservation and justice and the urgency of the current environmental situation,” the Catholic Bishops say.