The Project “Media-training for Journalists on Climate Change Challenge in Mountainous Regions” was implemented with financial support of the British Embassy in Moscow during the period from June through December 2007. The main objective of the project was to improve the skills of Russian journalists covering climate change issues. It was also essential to draw the attention of Russian politicians, business community and the public to this issue.
The Elbrus area in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria was selected as a venue for this training project. This was not a random selection: climate change consequences are especially noticeable in mountainous and Polar regions, because the nature and communities in such regions are especially vulnerable. Furthermore, Elbrus is the highest mountain of Russia and Europe and the example of the Elbrus region was expected to be interesting and indicative for all European countries
12 journalists were selected from Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Stavropol, Samara, Volgograd, Vladikavkaz (Republic of North Osetia), Nalchik (Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria) and Lysva (Perm region).
Training was conducted by two professional environmental journalists: Pavel Antonov, editor- in-chief of the Green Horizon Magazine, Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (Hungary) and Steve Connor, science editor of The Independent (UK).
The training included several modules:
- Presentations by experts on climate change issues.
- Presentations of the findings of glaciological surveys.
- Field-trips.
- Field photo survey or the Bolshoi Azau glacier to assess the trends in the glacier retreat in comparison with historic photos.
- Excursion to a traditional village of Tegenekli to interview local residents.
- Discussions with representatives of the regional and local authorities, as well as with the managers of the Elbrus National Park.
At the end of the training course the trainees were to present drafts of their first articles on climate change issues on the basis of the information obtained in the course of training. After the completion of the training at least two materials were to be prepared by every journalist for publication.
In addition to the training project some additional events were planned. An international symposium on snow sciences was held on September 5-6, 2007 at the Department of Geography at the M.V. Lomonosov University.
The RREC organized within the framework of the symposium snow sciences held on at of at the M.V. Lomonosov Universit a photo exhibition dedicated to the media-training in the Elbrus region.
In the early October 2007 a contest was launched on a national level for journalists
covering climate change issues: “Climate Change: Hot News”. Photo materials, articles,
TV and radio programs published and broadcast in 2007 were accepted for the contest.
After the end of the media project a brochure was published “Environmental Journalism Is Going Uphill: Media-training for Journalists on Climate Change Challenge in Mountain Regions by Example of Elbrus”.
The brochure presents the most recent data relating to climate change and a unique set of materials collected by the Russian experts from the Moscow State University with respect to climate change in mountainous regions using the Elbrus area as an example.
