Climate change is a serious challenge to livelihoods and sustainable development in Bhutan. Bhutan?s development is highly dependent on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, hydropower, and forestry. About 80% of the population is dependent on subsistence farming which is highly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. And only 2.93% of the country?s total area is cultivable. Climate change has the potential to undo all development gains Bhutan has achieved so far if immediate interventions are not planned and implemented.

Yet, the media?s coverage of climate change issues is negligible, mainly due to two reasons ? lack of expertise and lack of resources. Therefore, the urgency of climate change in the country is not matched by the media's reporting on the issue. This project is directly related to SDG 13 on Climate Action, particularly 13.3, namely ?improving education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning?.

This project aligns with the National Key Result Areas (NKRAs) of the 12th five-year plan such as enhancing carbon-neutral, climate- and disaster-resilient development and ensuring sustainable water, and Agency Key Result Areas (AKRAs) such as enhancing ?climate smart and disaster resilient development?. Besides, it aligns with the national flagship programmes such as ?Water Flagship Programme?. Overall, the project will contribute to striking a balance between environmental imperatives and livelihoods through capacity development and knowledge production.

This project will also contribute to mitigation of an adaptation to the impacts of climate change. It will contribute to poverty reduction as well. The effects of climate change, such as unpredictable weather patterns, crop failure, and flash floods are making poverty worse. Since the stories will be about rural communities where most of Bhutan?s poor live, the perspectives of the poor will be adequately considered.

BMF conducted a quick survey with the journalists to assess their knowledge of climate change journalism. The survey consisted of just four questions, namely 1) On a scale of 1-10 (1-poor, 10-extremely good), how do you rate your knowledge of climate change journalism? 2) Have you attended any climate change journalism training before? 3) Have you done any climate change reporting? 4) What is your reporting beat?

Twenty journalists responded to the survey. Question 4 in the survey was to find out the reporting beat of the journalists. In journalism, a beat, also known as specialised reporting, is a genre of journalism focused on a particular issue, sector, or organisation over time. It gives the journalists opportunity to focus on one area and specialise.

The data revealed that none of the respondents specialises in climate change reporting. The data also indicate that only 40% of the respondents have attended climate change journalism training before but only 55% of them have ever reported on climate change. This shows that most of our journalists have been reporting on climate change without any training on it. On average, the respondents have rated 6 out of 10 on their knowledge of climate change journalism. No respondent claims very good or extremely good/specialized knowledge of climate change reporting. This indicates the importance of conducting climate change journalism training for the journalists.

This project will be the first of its kind in Bhutan. The project aims to build the capacity of a critical number of Bhutanese journalists (both regular and freelance) through four interconnected activities. In spite of the grave threat of climate change to Bhutan?s ecology and livelihoods, it is among the least reported issues in the media today because climate change is a technical subject and our journalists have not received enough training. This project will

1) Train 25 journalists in climate change reporting and long-form narrative journalism,
2) Provide a climate change reporting grant to eight journalists who attend the training,
3) Conduct a seminar on the issues highlighted by the grant stories, and
4) Provide two Climate Change Story of the Year Awards (one each for print and broadcast media).