Reporting on climate change poses a series of significant challenges to journalists. The subject is highly topical, highly controversial and involves complicated scientific research.
This lesson plan is based on the article covering climate change which we suggest you read before adapting for your own purposes. The lesson plan is designed to equip journalists with the essential knowledge, terminology, and ethical framework for reporting on climate change with accuracy and impact. It focuses on the specific challenges of the climate story, including avoiding sensationalism and ensuring fair representation of complex scientific information.
Sessions timetable
- 09:00–10:00 – Session 1: The climate story and journalistic ethics
- Aims: To define climate change journalism; to understand the unique challenges of this beat; to review fundamental journalistic ethics.
- Presentation: Trainer presents an overview of the content in the MHM article covering climate change, focusing on the need to go beyond event-driven reporting. Discuss the role of the media in public understanding. Introduce the need for high standards of accuracy.
- Activity: Participants, in pairs, review three recent news reports on climate change. They must identify whether the report covers a short-term event or a long-term climate trend.
- Discussion: How does climate change reporting test the principles of journalistic ethics? What are the biggest hurdles in communicating scientific consensus effectively?
- 10:00–11:00 – Session 2: Understanding the human contribution to climate change
- Aims: To provide a foundational, evidence-based understanding of the science; to be able to explain the concept of ‘human-induced climate change’ simply and clearly.
- Presentation: Trainer details the content of the MHM article human contribution to climate change. Use simple visuals to explain the core mechanisms. Focus on evidence and scientific consensus.
11:00-11:15 – Break
- 11:15–12:45 – Session 3: Tone, language, and avoiding bias
- Aims: To analyse how tone and language influence audience perception; to identify and correct for unconscious bias.
- Presentation: Trainer presents content from the MHM article climate change tone and language. Discuss the risks of alarmism, sensationalism, and detachment. Review examples of charged or misleading language.
- Activity: Participants analyse headlines and opening paragraphs from various sources, categorising the tone (e.g., alarmist, neutral, dismissive). The group discusses how the chosen words could introduce bias.
- Discussion: When reporting on the impact of climate change on vulnerable groups, how can journalists ensure fairness in their portrayal without being sensational? How can reporters avoid their own political or personal bias colouring the story?
12:45–13:45 – Lunch
- 13:45–15:00 – Session 4: Mastering the glossary and complex terms
- Aims: To master key climate change terminology; to ensure consistent and accuracy in the use of terms in reporting; to understand the importance of integrity in sourcing.
- Presentation: Trainer reviews the MHM article climate change glossary. Focus on terms often misused (e.g., ‘weather’ vs. ‘climate’, ‘mitigation’ vs. ‘adaptation’). Emphasise that using correct terminology is a matter of accuracy and professionalism.
- Activity: A quick-fire quiz where the trainer provides a complex term and participants must instantly define it and suggest a simpler, direct synonym for a report. Participants then use the correct term and an incorrect term in two separate sample sentences and compare their impact.
- Discussion: How does the misuse of complex terms undermine a journalist’s integrity with the audience? What are the best methods for fact-checking technical language?
15:00-15:15 – Break
- 15:15–16:15 – Session 5: Ethical reporting and human impact
- Aims: To apply ethical principles to sensitive climate stories; to manage issues of privacy and offence when interviewing affected individuals.
- Presentation: Trainer uses case studies on reporting from disaster zones or on communities displaced by climate change. Focus on the ethical duties of the journalist, especially regarding the vulnerability of sources. Discuss the need for impartiality when representing competing interests (e.g., industry vs. community).
- Activity: Role-Play: A participant interviews an ‘affected person’ (trainer or another participant) who has lost their home due to flooding. The group observes and critiques the interviewer’s approach to respecting privacy and avoiding causing offence.
- Discussion: When does thepublic interest in a climate story justify intruding on a person’s privacy? How can journalists maintain impartiality when reporting on a subject that has a clear human victim?
- 16:15–17:00 – Session 6: Review and developing a reporting strategy
- Aims: To consolidate all learning; to plan a long-term climate reporting strategy; to identify actionable steps for continuous professional development.
- Presentation: Trainer leads a brief recap of the day’s key takeaways, reinforcing the importance of fairness, accuracy, and integrity. Present a simple 5-point strategy for planning long-form climate reporting.
- Activity: Participants work as a newsroom team to identify five local climate change stories that go beyond weather events. They must define the core issue, the required expert sources, and the potential human angle.
- Discussion: Review the importance of accessibility and simplicity in communicating the conclusion of their story. Discuss how to measure the impact and usefulness of their climate reporting.
Assignment
Participants must draft a pitch for a climate change feature story for their publication, based on a local or regional angle. The pitch must:
- Identify a specific climate-related issue (e.g., local water scarcity, changing crop patterns).
- List three key expert sources, including their credentials, demonstrating a commitment to accuracy.
- Outline the proposed tone and language, justifying how it achieves impartiality and avoids bias.
- Specify at least two complex terms that will be used, along with a simple, clear definition for the audience.
Materials needed
- Handouts summarising climate change key facts, terminology, and ethical checkpoints.
- Example articles with diverse tones and use of language.
- Flip charts or whiteboards for brainstorming and terminology exercises.
- Internet access for research and checking news examples.
Assessment
- Participation in discussions and activities, especially the ethical role-play.
- Quality of drafted simple explanations in Session 2.
- Performance in the Terminology Quiz and the ability to define complex terms with accuracy.
- The completeness and ethical sensitivity of the final assignment pitch.
Summary
This day-long lesson plan provides media trainers with an adaptable framework for teaching journalists how to report on climate change. It integrates scientific understanding, ethical considerations around bias and fairness, and practical skills in managing complex terminology. The structure ensures a deep dive into the subject, equipping participants to deliver ethical, accurate, and impactful journalism. This plan is directly based on the MHM article: covering climate change.
