By Salima Mvula
Mass media is a powerful lens through which we understand the social, cultural, and environmental issues facing our world. It plays a vital role in spotlighting environmental challenges, from climate change and pollution to deforestation and wildlife crime, elevating them to the forefront of public discourse and fostering shifts in public attitudes.
Through channels such as television, radio, print, social media, and podcasts, mass media spreads awareness of global environmental issues and mobilises collective action. Through media coverage, people often become aware of the consequences of global warming, the urgency of forest conservation, and the critical importance of sustainable practices.
As environmental threats continue to grow, the media shapes public perceptions, influences behaviour, and drives change, making it a crucial ally in conservation. Recognising this potential, Wildlife Crime Prevention (WCP) Zambia, established in 2016, works to address wildlife and environmental crime across Zambia and Southern Africa. With a focus on reducing illegal wildlife and timber trade, enhancing investigative efforts, and raising public awareness, WCP leverages media to harness support for protected areas and wildlife conservation.
Public engagement and support are essential for the future of protected areas and wildlife conservation, which is why WCP places education and awareness at the heart of its mission. Using behaviour change campaigns, WCP targets specific consumer groups with impactful conservation messages, including through its flagship campaign, This Is Not A Game, which addresses the illegal bushmeat trade in Zambia.
Often underestimated in the context of wildlife crimes, the illegal bushmeat trade is among the most significant threats to Zambia’s wildlife. Few people fully understood the environmental consequences of this trade until WCP, in partnership with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife, launched an initiative leveraging social media, influencers, television, radio, billboards, and public events. The campaign has effectively raised public awareness, with 78% of surveyed participants reporting a change in their attitudes toward bushmeat after three years of exposure to campaign messaging.
While media coverage of environmental issues has proven impactful, WCP identified a gap in quality environmental journalism within Zambia. Despite the pressing issues of deforestation, pollution, illegal wildlife trade, and climate change, few journalists were equipped to report on these topics in depth. To address this, WCP launched the Environmental Crime Journalism Fellowship in 2022, a programme that trains Zambian journalists to investigate and report on environmental issues critically.
Now in its second cohort in 2024, the fellowship provides young journalists hands-on experience, field visits, and insights from leading experts. Participants are trained in environmental research, science, and reporting by seasoned international journalists, gaining invaluable skills and understanding. The inaugural cohort of nine journalists graduated in 2024, producing 22 impactful stories, participating in high-level conservation dialogues, and undertaking field visits to North Luangwa National Park and Mumbwa Forest. These experiences enabled fellows to observe illegal charcoal production firsthand and explore sustainable alternatives, equipping them to champion environmental justice in their communities.
Mass media is critical in raising awareness and mobilising action for conservation efforts, effectively shaping public perceptions and influencing behaviour. WCP Zambia exemplifies this impact, using media campaigns to address the illegal bushmeat trade and empower local communities. By investing in environmental journalism training through initiatives like the Environmental Crime Journalism Fellowship, WCP continues to inspire meaningful conservation dialogue and action, highlighting the power of media as a catalyst for lasting environmental change.
This article was made possible by a partnership between Daily Nation and WCP Zambia
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