 UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks about the new UN Global Principles on Information Integrity. (Photo: UN/Eskinder Debebe) |
According to UNESCO, climate change was chosen as the theme of this year's World Radio Day because of a growing need for timely, comprehensive, reliable coverage of extreme weather events, which are occurring with greater frequency all around the world due to climate change.
With its wide reach and cost-effectiveness, radio plays an important role in giving communities practical information about climate change response.
Combining radio and climate change in this year's World Radio Day addresses the growing concerns at the UN about the integrity of information because new technology and social networks are spreading misinformation about the climate crisis at an alarming speed.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the world about this when the “UN Global Principles on Information Integrity” were launched last June.
“The climate crisis is a cause of particular concern. Coordinated disinformation campaigns are seeking to undermine climate action. Send my message to media outlets is: Raise and enforce editorial standards. Do your part to safeguard our future by providing quality journalism based on facts and reality,” said Guterres.
UNESCO has underscored radio’s ability to change public awareness by popularizing environmental concepts, empowering listeners through live online broadcasts and on-demand radio programs, and refuting the arguments of climate change deniers and voices attacking green development and eco-economics.
UNESCO has pointed out that people in rural, remote, and isolated areas are the ones who suffer the worst effects of climate change. Radio can reach them better than other forms of journalism.
With advertising revenue and public budget support declining for most radio stations around the world, UNESCO is encouraging radio stations to increase their interconnections and set up information sharing networks to optimize the information resources of each station.