IMS, Internews, Reporters Without Borders and IIED invite you to a pressbriefing on the dangers of climate reporting, Friday, 11 December at 18:00 in Bella Center

For the first time, leading press freedom organisations call on the world's leaders to protect environment journalists and reaffirm their pledge to the Rio Declaration.

The media must be free to report on environmental issues to raise public awareness and to put pressure on recalcitrant governments to keep their promises and to reduce CO2 emissions. The Rio Declaration clearly states the need to engage and involve the general public and this is where the media plays a crucial role.

But since the Rio Summit in 1992, there has been an increase in violent attacks against journalists covering environmental issues.

International Media Support, Reporters without Borders, Internews and the International Institute for Environment and Development invite you to a press briefing on the dangers of reporting on climate change:

Friday, 11 December from 18 – 18:30
Bella Center, COP15
The Asger Jorn meeting room

Panelists:

- Jesper Højberg, Director, International Media Support
- James Fahn, Global Director, Internews Earth Journalism Awards
- Vincent Brossel, Head of Asia Desk, Reporters Without Borders

Case studies of the challenges facing media will be presented at the meeting. In Cambodia, the Philippines and Indonesia, for example, where logging companies often have close ties to government officials, reports on deforestation have led to death threats and arrests of journalists.

The gathering of information alone is threatening for many companies, organised crime groups, governments and the various kinds of intermediaries that profit from misuse of the environment.

For more information, visit www.i-m-s.dk or contact Lotte Dalhmann, International Media Support, and tel. (+45) 25543541 or by email: ld[snabela]i-m-s.dk. For more case studies on the dangers of climate reporting, see: http://www.rsf.org/IMG/rapport_en_md.pdf.