2023 Climate Story Lab in Lagos Sparks Collaboration for Impactful Climate Storytelling

By Faridat Salifu

Surge Africa took the initiative to organize the 2023 Climate Story Lab in Lagos on October 18-19, where climate advocates, environmentalists, and creative industry professionals converged to strategize the power of impactful climate storytelling.

Nasreen Al-Amin, Head of Surge Africa, delivered the opening remarks, highlighting the Lab’s core mission to foster collaboration between the climate sector and creative industry professionals.

She underscored the importance of amplifying the voices of vulnerable communities and engaging experts from diverse backgrounds in scrutinizing current climate narratives.

Al-Amin posed essential questions, examining the appropriateness of existing climate stories and methods to bridge identified gaps within the climate justice movement.

Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), addressed the disparities between climate change reparations and financing.

He emphasized the urgency for Africa to adopt innovative narrative techniques capable of shaping perceptions and strategies.

Bassey also stressed the need to tailor climate information for communities through culturally informed campaigns.

Michael Simire, the Editor-in-Chief of EnviroNews, emphasized the effectiveness of multimedia in educating the public about climate issues.

He advocated for storytelling that directly relates to individuals’ daily challenges, offering practical solutions and providing a platform for the voices of those affected.

Henry Bassey, the founder of GreenHubAfrica, and Habiba Ali, the CEO of Sosai Energy, emphasized the critical need for effective, universally comprehensible communication to facilitate climate action.

Bassey highlighted the challenges of securing government approvals and funding for climate communication initiatives, particularly in the context of renewable energy adoption, while Ali stressed the importance of authentic and relatable storytelling to motivate individuals to take action without succumbing to undue pessimism.

Ken Henshaw, Director of We The People, a non-governmental organization in Port Harcourt, emphasized the importance of a just energy transition that encompasses addressing the damage caused by oil pollution.

He advocated for the audit of community health and strategies to respond to climate threats.

Emily Wanja, Director of Africa Programmes at DocSociety’s Climate Story Unit, discussed the influential role of storytelling in shaping behavior and fostering climate action.

She acknowledged the challenges in adapting climate communication to diverse African communities and the associated resource constraints.

Mathew Ohio, Co-Founder of Music Assembly Against Human Trafficking, emphasized the role of artists and musicians in leveraging their creativity to address societal issues, including climate change, gender-based violence, and social injustices.

The Lagos edition of the Climate Story Lab was hosted by Surge Africa in collaboration with the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Global Strategic Communications Council (GSCC).

Stakeholders at the event shared their insights and strategies for enhancing climate storytelling and driving impactful social change.