Tropical cyclones, severe flooding, extreme heat: Asia is extremely affected by climate-related disasters and the resulting displacement, loss of livelihoods, and disease burden. As the region is warming faster than the global average and includes 11 of the world’s 20 most climate-vulnerable countries, journalists must be equipped to report on these events not only reactively, but also proactively, encouraging climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, and long-term resilience.
In response to these challenges, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Media Programme Asia, in partnership with the Centre for Investigative Reporting Sri Lanka, organised a 3-day residential Environmental Crises Reporting Training, taking place from 17–19 August 2026 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka. The workshop brought together 26 mid-career journalists, each working for different newsrooms, from 12 countries across South and Southeast Asia to exchange practical experiences and strengthen reporting on environmental crises.
The sessions were held by 5 veteran trainers, who have nearly a hundred years of journalism experience together—with a focus ranging from climate reporting, over investigative climate reporting, to data climate reporting. With a mix of hands-on tasks, theoretical input, and simulations, the workshop focused on the full disaster and crisis cycle—preparedness, response, and recovery. The sessions gave an overview of the science behind climate reporting and the relevant frameworks, nurtured a culture of prevention through disaster risk reduction journalism, and kept an eye on building the necessary climate reporting ecosystem. As climate journalism heavily relies on an understanding of data, one focus was also on data-driven journalism. Therefore, the sessions focused on verification and fact-checking, analysing maps and satellite imagery, as well as the use of AI tools for that. To bring all the sessions and gained knowledge together, the workshop was finalised with a simulation game, where the participants were given a fictional crisis scenario, which they had to work on.
The participants left with a practical framework of tools, strategies, and approaches for reporting on environmental crises before, during, and after disasters. They gained practical insights from experts with first-hand experience covering environmental crises and strengthened their regional networks with fellow journalists working in the field of environmental and crisis reporting.
About this series
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