Africa Gets First Continental Guide on Just Transition Reporting

The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) has launched what it describes as Africa’s first continental guide dedicated to reporting on the just transition, providing journalists and newsrooms with practical tools to cover climate change, workers’ rights, climate justice, climate finance, renewable energy and sustainable development from an African perspective.

The Practical Guide to Reporting Just Transition in Africa was unveiled during a conference on African Workers’ Contribution to Energy Sovereignty, Green Industrialisation and a Common African Position for COP31 in Nairobi.

The conference brought together trade union leaders, civil society representatives, journalists and members of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change to discuss Africa’s approach to energy sovereignty, green industrialisation and the just transition.

FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman said the media has a critical role in helping the public understand how the transition to cleaner economies will affect jobs, livelihoods, workers’ rights and economic development.

“Just transition is one of the most important public interest journalism issues of our time,” Osman said, adding that journalists must help communities understand the opportunities and challenges associated with the transition.

He said the guide would support accurate, fair and responsible reporting while ensuring workers’ and communities’ voices are included in public debates and policy discussions.

The publication was launched by Osman alongside International Trade Union Confederation-Africa (ITUC-Africa) General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie, Deputy President Rose Omamo, FAJ Working Group on Climate Change Chair Ahmed Sahid Nasralla and Gambia Press Union President Isatou Keita.

Nasralla said the guide was developed in response to growing interest among African journalists in climate and just-transition reporting, as well as the challenges many reporters face in accessing specialised knowledge and reliable reporting resources.

“Climate change is one of the most complex and high-stakes stories of our time,” Nasralla said. “This guide is designed to help bridge that gap by supporting accurate, ethical and evidence-based reporting that reflects African realities, voices and solutions.”

The guide provides reporting techniques, case studies and ethical guidance on topics including climate justice, climate finance, renewable energy, workers’ rights and information integrity.

It was developed by African journalists with contributions from experts in climate policy, labour and media, building on FAJ’s wider work to strengthen climate reporting across the continent.

ITUC-Africa General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie welcomed the publication, saying stronger cooperation between journalists and trade unions could bring greater attention to workers’ concerns and influence policy discussions.

“Trade unions are doing remarkable work, but too often their stories go untold,” Odigie said, urging journalists to give greater visibility to workers affected by the transition.

ITUC-Africa Deputy President Rose Omamo said the guide would also help journalists explain how the transition could affect workers and support trade unions in communicating with their members.

She stressed the importance of reskilling and upskilling workers to ensure that the shift toward greener economies does not leave people behind.

Gambia Press Union President Isatou Keita described the publication as an important professional development resource for journalists’ unions across Africa.

She said national journalists’ unions could use the guide for training, mentoring and professional development to help reporters cover climate-related issues with greater confidence and accuracy.

The guide is available in English, French and Portuguese and will be distributed through FAJ-affiliated journalists’ unions and media organisations across Africa. Digital editions will also be made freely available to increase access.

Its production was funded by Mondiaal FNV, the international solidarity organisation of the Dutch trade union movement, in support of efforts to strengthen trade union engagement on climate justice, decent work and the just transition.

FAJ said the publication forms part of its broader programme to strengthen public-interest journalism on climate change, the just transition and information integrity.

The organisation plans to work with ITUC-Africa, global union federations, journalists’ unions, media organisations and development partners to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report on the economic, social and environmental dimensions of climate change while ensuring African perspectives remain central to national, continental and global policy debates.