The UNESCO Centre for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves hosted a debate on the role of the media in preventing and raising awareness of climate change
On Friday, 4 November 2016, the UNESCO Category II Centre for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves hosted a debate at the Abertis Foundation in Castellet i Gornal, Spain, entitled ‘What climate change is reflected in the press?’ on the role of the media as a tool to prevent and raise awareness of climate change.
Ms Flavia Schlegel, Assistant Director-General for the Natural Sciences of UNESCO, Mr Salvador Alemany, Chairman of the Abertis Foundation, and Mr Josep Maria Coronas, Secretary-General of Abertis, opened the debate by highlighting the enormous responsibility of the media in reiterating the message that the future of our planet rests in our hands.
Mr Antonio Madridejos, science columnist for El Periódico, Antonio Cerrillo, science columnist for La Vanguardia, Tomas Molina, from the TV3 television programme Espai Terra, and Joan Carles Valero, journalist and head of external relations at ABC Catalunya, debated the ways in which the media transmits climate change information and the different perceptions held worldwide on this topic. While certain countries are not convinced that this phenomenon is due to anthropogenic activities, it is widely acknowledged in others that human activities are resulting in the acceleration of climate change.
The closing address was delivered by Mr Michael Worbs, Chair of the Executive Board of UNESCO, and Mr Martí Boada PhD, scientific advisor to the Abertis Foundation researcher at the Institute of Science and Environmental Technology attached to the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Mr Worbs stressed that the national and international press have published information about biosphere reserves, which in turn play a highly prominent role in informing the public about environmental changes. He also noted that the usefulness of biosphere reserves as a global movement has been clearly demonstrated: investments in these sites have proven very successful and the constant creation of new sites is a strong indicator of success.