Pacific Journalists trained on climate reporting and AI at AIBD

CNN Indonesia climate journalist Dewi Safiritni says climate change is the biggest threat to humanity (NBC News: Solomon Sumb)

Pacific journalists are receiving specialized training on climate change reporting and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in Kuala Lumpur.

The workshop, attended by journalists and content creators from Papua New Guinea’s National Broadcasting Corporation and Vanuatu, aims to strengthen media capacity to cover one of the world’s most pressing issues.

CNN Indonesia climate journalist Dewi Safiritni, who led a key session, stressed the urgency of accurate and responsible climate reporting.

"We basically live in fear, from cyclone to cyclone, flood to flood, sea level rise, landslides, and droughts. We live in fear of losing crops, losing our habitats, and losing lives," Ms Safiritni said.

She said it is important that journalists report with clarity and accuracy to combat misinformation and disinformation surrounding climate change.

“This training is about understanding scientific facts, using reliable sources, and learning how AI tools can simplify the task of reporting complex climate issues,” she said.

She added that what this training is conducted is basically to try to establish that and explore how technology can help with climate reporting.

"We looked at some of the most advanced AI tools available free on the Internet, hoping these can simplify the task of reporting on climate issues."

Participants (From L-R) Timothy Makekon from Vanuatu Broadcasting Television Corporation, Lesley Kili and Lydia Moia of National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea attending the workshop on climate reporting in Malaysia (NBC News: Solomom Sumb)

The participants were introduced to advanced AI tools, many of which are free and accessible online, to support fact-checking, data analysis, and story production.

Today’s session is expected to shift focus to identifying misinformation and disinformation, and developing effective narratives to counter climate hoaxes. Safiritni also underscored the importance of journalists understanding climate science themselves.

“Climate change is fundamentally a scientific concept,” she said. “To present it in ways our audience can understand, we must first learn how to read and interpret scientific research and discussions.”

NBC online reporter, Solomon Sumb in Malaysia (NBC News)

The AIBD training highlights the critical role of media in shaping public understanding of climate change, particularly for vulnerable island nations in the Pacific.