My life-changing engagement as a Young Environmental Journalist

By Kevin Lunzalu*

By Environmental Governance Programme (EGP)

November 26^th, 2020

Increased investment in Kenya's mining sector has provided opportunities for economic growth but also escalated cases of environmental degradation, violation of human rights, and health risks. Over the years, Kenya has witnessed exponential growth in her mining sector, witnessed by deliberate consideration of the industry as one of the key drivers of the nation’s flagship development agendas such as the Vision 2030 and the Big 4 Agenda.

With a rich endowment of over 120 mineral resources and updated Mining and Mineral Policy (2016), the country has continued to obtain immense benefits from mining. It is projected that 10% of the country’s GDP will be derived from the mining sector by 2030. Globally increasing demands for clean energy technologies have also put pressure on the production of minerals in Kenya. A 2020 report by World Bank indicates that the production of minerals could increase up to about 500% by 2050.

As a young person whose generation stands to suffer more sustained impacts of mining-related environmental injustices, I have a role in shaping public awareness and national policies through environmental journalism. This is why I was motivated to join the Young Environmental Journalists campaign. Youth-led media advocacy is an important tool in informing policies around mining and sustainable use of natural resources especially in fast-industrializing countries like Kenya.

Meeting and working with about 100 young journalists from four resource-rich countries of Kenya, Colombia, Mozambique, and Mongolia presented a multicultural and truly insightful environment that fostered team work, indepth understanding of common issues, and collaboration. In our group, for instance, we were challenged to explore and write a report on the obstacles faced in the implementation of human rights obligations by mining companies in Kenya. Apart from the immense spirit of team work that this brought, I felt a true sense of belonging, being in the midst of fellow young journalists researching on real issues affecting local communities.

Working in a dynamic and multicultural team was also a greatly rewarding endevor, as everyone was given an equal space to contribute to the success of the group’s project. The icing on this cake was the interaction with guest speakers, such as Professor Claudia Ituarte-Lima. Learning from such accomplished role-players in the sector was an eye opener to most of us. It made us rediscover ourselves and challenge our potential in bringing the much-needed critical change through journalism. The experience has not only nurtured our journalism careers but also amplified our potential to utilize the power of storytelling to capture recent developments and produce inspiring stories that will hopefully drive change in the governance of the mining sector in our respective countries and regionally.

Participation in the campaign has greatly nurtured my career as an environmental journalist. Before joining the programme, I looked at mining from a narrow angle of just focusing on coal mining. The campaign expanded my understanding of mining issues in Kenya’s perspective, including human rights and ecological aspects. I now look at mining as an entire industry , its policy-related architecture and integration into development plans, and implementation implications on the local communities. I have also discovered the many underlying gaps in Kenya’s media space; it is clear that such issues are often underreported. Excelling as a young environmental journalist in Kenya is not easy, mainly because of lack of such capacity-building platforms. Media houses in Kenya often do not give much space to environmental stories as other issues of national concern and politics are often prioritized. What motivates me is my innate belief that access to credible information is a basic human right. In the wake of a world full of climate deniers and violators of human rights, young journalists can only make real difference by making their readership accurately informed.

Through the training, I have learnt how to mainstream multiple issues of societal and environmental concern in storytelling, to create an overall picture that is easily comprehensible to the target audience, and useful in challenging the status quo. I am now challenged to go above the tide and utilize the skills gained during the campaign to produce original stories that will inform and urge stakeholders and leaders to take action on sustainable development that enhances environmental conservation and protection of human rights.

* Kevin Lunzalu (28) is a participant of the 2020 edition of the Young Environmental Journalists campaign. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, Kevin is the co-founder & coordinator of the Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network. The Young Environmental Journalists campaign provides learning and networking opportunities to outstanding young journalists, students and environmental defenders in resource-rich countries, focusing on improving environmental and human rights protection in the mining sector. The campaign is facilitated by the joint Swedish Environmental Protection Agency – UNDP Environmental Governance Programme (EGP), UN Volunteers (UNV) and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).