Journalists from Nepal and India to collaborate on trans-boundary climate and disaster reporting

Kathmandu : Journalists from Nepal and India have decided to collaborate on strengthening reporting on trans-boundary climate and disaster issues.

They were univocal on it at a four-day regional workshop on ‘Strengthening Trans-boundary Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Reporting in the Nepal-India Context’ that concluded in Kathmandu on Friday. 

The event equipped the two-country journalists with critical tools, digital skills, and collaborative strategies to advance climate and disaster reporting across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.  

Total 20 journalists- 15 from Nepal and 5 from India-attended the programme organized by Youth Innovation Lab (YI-Lab) in collaboration with UNESCO Nepal. They enhanced their capacity to report on shared trans-boundary climate risks due to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), unsustainable resource extraction, extreme weather events, and climate-induced disasters. 

The workshop placed strong emphasis on AI-assisted journalism, data-driven storytelling, fact-checking, cross-border collaboration in reporting, and the ethical responsibilities of media in shaping public awareness and policy discourse, according to a press statement issued by UNESCO, Kathmandu.

Chief Executive of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Dinesh Prasad Bhatt, said, “Stronger coordination and cooperation between Nepal and India is essential to address trans-boundary climate and disaster challenges.” 

On the occasion, UNESCO Representative to Nepal, Jaco Du Toit, underlined media’s critical role in promoting climate resilience. “Joint media initiatives can bridge information gaps, influence disaster policy, and foster accountability around unsustainable practices like sand mining,” he reminded.  

Board of Director at YI-Lab, Santosh Chhetri, shed light on deep connections between Nepal and India, not just through culture, friendship, and borders, but also through shared rivers and ecosystems. He called for timely sharing of information and data related to climate change and disaster risks between the two countries. 

Various international experts shared knowledge and skills at the event. 

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