Communication Expert and broadcast journalist Emefa Apawu has challenged African media to rethink how they report on climate change, describing it not just as an environmental issue but as a storytelling crisis that demands inclusion, empathy, and collaboration.
Delivering her keynote address virtually at the TN Africa Digital Journalism Summit 2025, Apawu said the power to shape Africa’s climate narrative lies in how journalists and content creators choose to tell their stories.
“As journalists, communicators, and creators, we have a secret duty, not just to report what is, but to reimagine what could be,” she said.
“Climate change is not just an environmental crisis; it’s a storytelling crisis. And if we get the story right, inclusive, human, and hopeful, Africa will not just adapt to the future; we will define it.”
The summit, held at the British Council Auditorium in Accra on October 22, brought together leading journalists, climate advocates, digital creators, and policymakers under the theme “Shaping Africa’s Future Through Climate Journalism.”
Apawu, who has worked in Ghanaian media for nearly two decades, shared that her passion for climate storytelling comes from personal experience growing up in a rural town where changing weather patterns deeply affected community life.
“When the rains delayed, our mothers worried. When floods came, our fathers worried even more. But no one ever called it climate change; it was just life. Today, we know better,” she said.
Yet, the people most affected, women, youth, and local communities, are still often spoken for rather than heard from.”
She called on journalists to make storytelling more inclusive, urging them to “find the human face behind the data” and tell stories that bring real people into the conversation.
Apawu also encouraged collaboration among Ghanaian media houses, stressing that climate change should not be treated as a competition for audience ratings.
“TV3 should not see Citi or GHOne as competition when it comes to climate change; it affects all of us,” she noted. “If we work together, we can access the funding and impact the sector needs.”
The broadcaster further urged senior journalists to mentor younger storytellers and empower them to use social media for advocacy rather than noise-making.
“Your story is powerful because it is yours,” she told young participants. “We have the tools now — let’s use them responsibly to elevate voices, not just amplify chaos.”
The TN Africa Digital Journalism Summit 2025 was convened by Senanu Damilola Wemakor, Ghana Representative of TN Africa, as part of the organization’s StoryTheChange initiative, a movement to strengthen climate reporting and youth-driven storytelling across the continent.
In his closing remarks, Wemakor described the summit as “a defining moment for Africa’s digital journalists to connect their creativity with purpose.”
“A summit was held, but a movement has begun,” he said. “The call to action is clear: we must use our platforms to tell stories that change mindsets, protect our planet, and give voice to those who need it most.”
About TN Africa
TN Africa is a continental media and communications platform dedicated to telling Africa’s story from an African perspective, through journalism, storytelling, and youth-led innovation.
