Green voices in Moroccan media and civil society

"Covering environmental issues is not just a personal interest; it is also a responsibility. I try to address these issues in-depth to raise awareness about the challenges facing our planet," says Jihane Ziyan, an environmental journalist in Morocco.

She continues, "My writing covers topics such as ecology, the application of sustainable development practices, and the social and economic impacts of climate change. I aim to encourage readers to contribute to change by taking simple and practical steps that any of us can follow. I also look to empower readers by showing that it is possible to change the world starting at the community level, by raising awareness about critical issues like water scarcity and pollution and how they affect local communities."

Journalism is the ideal way to tackle environmental issues and reach a broad audience.

Ziyan emphasizes to Raseef22 her interest in highlighting the resilience of local communities and their innovative solutions to climate change. She believes that by showcasing popular and grassroots efforts to combat environmental degradation, readers can be inspired to support these initiatives. She details, "I covered stories of resilience against drought in Kalaat M'Gouna in southeastern Morocco, and how small local projects that focus on renewable energy or sustainable agricultural practices can positively change and impact the environmental landscape of the region from a local perspective."

She believes that through perseverance and a commitment to the truth, environmental journalism can overcome its obstacles and increase engagement from the public as well as accountability from policymakers, making its desired impact. In the face of the climate change that the world is witnessing today, civil society efforts in Morocco are intensifying education efforts about the importance and necessity of environmental conservation. This works in tandem with media to raise awareness about the dangers of climate change.

The challenges of environmental journalism

"Like all other issues, the role of the press is very significant. I believe that journalistic writing is the ideal way to tackle environmental issues to reach a broad audience," says journalist and writer Hicham Houdaifa. He adds, "We notice that the issue of water [scarcity] has become very prominent, and I think journalists have a great responsibility to address other environmental issues because the future of Moroccans is closely tied to the future of the environment."

Houdaifa elaborates to Raseef22, saying, "For me, the contribution of journalists lies in delivering a seasoned journalistic performance that respects journalistic rules and standards. At En Toutes Lettres, we try to link environmental issues with other social issues such as public health, migration, and public income activities. We aim to show in our writings that the environment is a fundamental issue linked to people's daily lives. This, of course, means using exceptional and creative journalistic techniques and methods, including storytelling, video, and podcasts."

"I strive to motivate readers to contribute to change by taking simple and practical steps that any of us can follow. I also aim to empower readers by showing that it is possible to change the world starting at the community level, by raising awareness about critical issues like water scarcity and pollution"

Houdaifa identifies three major challenges that journalists face in their environmental reporting. "The challenges of journalism in addressing environmental issues are general journalistic challenges. First, accessing environmental information, especially when it is related to state sectors that consider it vital, such as agriculture. Also, when we talk about investigative journalism, we talk about financial resources, which is a problem because conducting a journalistic investigation requires a budget. It requires travel, time, and money."

Regarding the third challenge, he says, "Specialization. An environmental journalist must conduct intensive research and consult specialists who provide information. They must be, in some way, specialized in the environment to offer added value to the reader."

Houdaifa also emphasizes that collaboration between civil society and journalists is crucial for establishing a solid foundation of information and enabling journalists to delve into climate concerns. "In environmental issues, this cooperation is extremely essential because civil society activists are fully and deeply aware of what is happening in their areas. They can provide journalists with access to information that enables them to perform their work thoroughly. Of course, the journalist must be serious and aim to serve the public interest and present the truth."

He concludes, "I believe that programs encouraging journalists to work with civil society representatives from the beginning are successful because everyone benefits. The first beneficiary is the reader and citizen, as the quality of work is very high. Second, the journalist benefits from time and proximity to local information, allowing them to perform serious and impactful work. Third, the serious local community benefits from having its issues reached by the public, which enhances the association's resonance and contributes to its development."

"It is very important for journalists to have a sense of nature and to realize that humans are part of it, not its dominators. I encourage journalists to adopt a critical perspective in their approach to nature because one cannot cover environmental issues while being an enemy of the environment themselves."

Civil society in service of environmental media

Ghassan Wael al-Qarmouni, a journalist and member of the executive secretariat of the Morocco Alternatives Forum (FMAS – Forum des alternatives Maroc) and a media officer at the journalism platform e-Joussour, states, "Civil society remains a fundamental source for the media in general. Activists and civil society members are usually well-versed in issues and understand them deeply. They often serve as the primary informants to the media, acting as experts who help draw attention to local issues and provide analyses. For example, when discussing water issues, civil society activists with field experience are often consulted and relied upon by journalists for their trusted insights and conclusions."

Al-Qarmouni emphasizes that civil society, thanks to social media, now assumes the role of mass media and citizen journalism. "We have several local radio stations spread across different regions of Morocco, which cover environmental issues, climate change, and their impact on society, in addition to specific issues like women's rights, unemployment, and migration."

"The most critical issue today is how to communicate the urgency of climate change to citizens, officials, and decision-makers."

Regarding the work of the forum, he explains, "among the issues we focus on are human rights, women's rights, combating fake news, and environmental and climate change issues. Our primary goal is to diversify the media landscape, advocating for a third media type, distinct from public and private media. This includes content creators, independent journalists, and others, with a focus on empowering young people to thoroughly understand the topics they discuss and providing them with tools and techniques to maintain high-quality standards."

In terms of climate change issues, the forum works directly with environmental associations. It offers them technical support and spearheads activities addressing topics on climate change, even for youth who are not initially interested.

Al-Qarmouni offers some advice for journalists who want to benefit from civil society's expertise when covering environmental issues. "They should have precise documentation of the issue they are working on and must be well-informed about the topic and its details by reading what has been written about the subject. This helps identify the right people to contact. It's also crucial to understand the dynamics of civil society. In Morocco, we have an active civil society, and journalists should take the time to learn about the associations working in the area they wish to cover. This simplifies the documentation process."

"[Journalists] should have precise documentation of the issue they are working on and must be well-informed about the topic and its details by reading what has been written about the subject. This helps identify the right people to contact. It's also crucial to understand the dynamics of civil society. In Morocco, we have an active civil society, and journalists should take the time to learn about the associations working in the area they wish to cover.”

He continues, "It is very important for journalists to feel a connection to nature and to realize that humans are a part of it, not its dominators. I encourage journalists to adopt a critical perspective in their approach to nature because one cannot cover environmental issues while being an enemy of the environment themselves."

A "strategic" relationship

Said Chakri, an expert in environmental and sustainable development and climate change, views the relationship between civil society and the media as a long-term partnership. He tells Raseef22, "Civil society has been the first to shed light on environmental issues since the 1970s, and at the forefront of highlighting climate change issues since the 1990s. However, the role of the media is also very prominent, as it has helped spread environmental and climate information on a broader scale. While civil society works closely with citizens, the media reaches a larger audience and has platforms that enable interaction, making collaboration between civil society and the media essential for achieving a comprehensive impact."

"In environmental issues, cooperation between the press and civil society is extremely essential, because civil society activists are fully and deeply aware of what is happening in their areas. They can provide journalists with access to information that enables them to perform their work thoroughly."

Chakri explains how NGOs and the media can work together in covering environmental issues to achieve greater impact. "This collaboration has become necessary because we can't discuss certain environmental issues, especially those affecting citizens' daily lives, without civil society raising and defending them. But advocacy alone remains limited, so there must be cooperation to achieve a greater impact. When the media covers these issues and disseminates them, they reach a wider audience and potentially decision-makers, enhancing cooperation and increasing the ability to influence. Civil society's influence is often weak, especially if it is operating locally."

He ended by emphasizing the most critical issue today: communicating the urgency of climate change to citizens, officials, and decision-makers: "Today, climate change has become a topic that concerns the entire world, a global concern. It is not only about rising temperatures but also other impacts, particularly on human health, the economy, and food and health security."