Carbon Expo trains journalists itself
The organisers of Carbon Expo offer a briefing on the market situation and an introduction to the subject matter for journalists planning to report from the Cologne trade fair.
Background knowledge and an understanding of complex topics are important prerequisites for journalists reporting on sectors and markets that are not the subject of public attention. Cologne's Carbon Expo - Global Carbon Market Fair Conference - held in mid May is no exception: it deals with processes, methods and technologies for reducing CO2 emissions and with trading in emission rights and certificates. None of this is common knowledge or an everyday topic in the media.
Reason enough for the organisers, Koelnmesse, IETA (International Emissions Trading Association), Geneva, and the World Bank Carbon Finance Business, Washington D.C., to provide journalists with the knowledge necessary to report on these topics and offer some "on-the-job training", after having successfully held the first workshop in 2005. The event was sponsored by COM+Alliance, Alliance of Communicators for Sustainable Development. The reuters Foundation, a member of COM+Alliance, provided the training program.
Duncan Shiels, a senior trainer with Reuters Foundation, led the training seminar, which was held concurrently with the trade fair. The topic was the most important challenges facing the CO2 market from today until 2012 and beyond. "The idea behind our workshop is to give journalists a complete overview of the market situation. And where better to get that across than at the conference itself", explained Shiels. The offer was well received. Around 20 reporters took the opportunity to learn more about the subject matter. Although many were specialists who already had prior knowledge, colleagues from the daily press and the news agencies also chose to benefit from the programme.
"Apart from providing a general understanding, we also wanted to stimulate debate and reflect more deeply on this complex field. We wanted to impart solid information as a basis from which journalists could question things", says Shiels. "Otherwise, they may as well just regurgitate the official press communiqués." High-calibre speakers were available as contacts for participants during the workshops. Attendance at the workshop gave the participating reporters, who had come from Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Poland, access to all conference events at Carbon Expo 2006.
Duncan Shiels and his colleagues were more than pleased with the good response again this year to their training on the job initiative. "We're considering repeating it during the following trade fair next year", said Shiels.
m+a report Nr.4 / 2006 vom 15.06.2006
m+a report vom 15. Juni 2006