Centre for Management Communication at IIMB hosts a workshop on 5th June for media persons covering climate change
05 JUNE, 2022: The Centre for Management Communication at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) invited media persons to the first-in-series initiative, ‘Climate and Communication: Building Skills and Knowledge for Effective Engagement between the Media, Opinion Leaders and Communities’, on the occasion of World Environmental Day on 5th June 2022, on campus.
The Climate and Communication Project was a one-day intensive programme that brought together media persons for informed, effective engagement with climate change issues in their professional lives.
The programme was inaugurated by Sadashiv Shenoy, Chairman, Karnataka Media Academy, & President, Press Club of Bangalore.
Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, Professor Chetan Subramanian, Dean Faculty, IIM Bangalore, Professor Haritha Saranga, Chairperson, Sustainability Task Force, IIM Bangalore, and Dr. Deepti Ganapathy, Chairperson, Centre for Management Communication, IIM Bangalore, were present.
In his address, Dr Rishikesha T Krishnan said the importance of World Environment Day has been increasing every year. “Every summer when the mercury shoots up and every monsoon when cities are flooded, we see the impact of climate change. There is a need for effective coverage, both in our curriculum and in the media. Youngsters are aware and concerned; it is the rest of us who need to be more proactive.” Quoting from his study for CII on the vision of Karnataka, he said the younger group – namely college students – were unanimous in their identification of environment and climate change as key focus areas as opposed to the older respondents to the survey. “The young are invested in the future and are aware.” Talking about sustainability on the IIMB campus, he spoke of water recycling and rainwater harvesting – both initiatives that have helped restore ground water level on campus, and of the fact that solar panels, installed on campus, meet over 15 per cent of IIMB’s power needs. He said the IIMB Sustainability Task Force is looking at enhancing the capacity of the solar power and RWH plants on campus. “The IIMB campus has close to 30,000 trees; we are perhaps the only patch of green cover in south Bangalore with significant bio diversity,” he said, adding that as an educational institution, IIMB is committed to training it students in being environmentally conscious.
Prof. Chetan Subramanian, Dean Faculty, IIMB, and faculty in the Economics and Social Sciences area, spoke of how March of 2022 recorded the highest temperature in the last 122 years, impacting wheat production in India, resulting in the Government having to backtrack on its commitment to export wheat. “Climate change is not an issue confined to academic institutions and the halls of policy makers.” Talking about the review of the MBA curriculum, he said IIMB has incorporated sustainability issues in all its courses. “Firms also are recognising the impact of their work on the climate. Alphabet, Microsoft, Apple have promised to be carbon neutral by 2040. The world is also weaning itself off its dependence on fossil fuel. That is encouraging. The media has a huge role in providing a platform for scientists, climate change activists in presenting their views to the public and in highlighting local issues.
On the issue of climate change reporting in the media, Sadashiv Shenoy said the subject remains low priority for most media houses. “We don’t find environmental news on the front page. There is a view that journalists lack a proper view of the complexity of environmental issues. Very few are on the environmental beat while there are many on aviation and fashion! Social media can play an important role here. Simple, effective communication is the key to making impact.”
In her address, Prof. Harita Saranga, Chairperson, IIMB Sustainability Task Force, and faculty in the Production and Operations Management area, said she looked forward to hearing the challenges that media face in reporting on the environment. Talking about IIMB’s commitment to becoming a “zero-waste” campaign, she said 90 per cent of waste generated on campus is recycled and reused. “The students have a vibrant environment sustainability club,” she said, adding that the biggest challenge remains in sensitizing people and infusing a sense of urgency about conservation.
Journalists from leading newspapers and magazines, on the environment beat, shared their experiences of reporting on issues ranging from deforestation, mining, drought, famine and the kind of priority accorded to such issues by bureaucrats and governments. “The effects of the 1.5 degree increase in temperature is going to be disastrous, and we wish the powers that be wake up to this,” they said.
The inauguration was followed by two hour-long sessions by Prof. Harita Saranga and Prof. Deepti Ganapathy.
