By Awyetu Asabe Hope
A Geography expert at Bayero University Kano (BUK), Dr. Suleiman Yunus, has urged journalists to adopt Earth Observation (EO) technology to shift from reactive disaster reporting to proactive early warning communication capable of saving lives and reducing property losses.
Yunus made the call while presenting a paper at a capacity-building workshop on Earth Observation Satellite Tools organised by BUK in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Future Earth in Kano on Monday.
He said Earth Observation, which uses satellite imagery, geospatial data and remote sensing technologies, enables journalists to identify emerging disaster risks such as floods, droughts and wildfires before they escalate.
According to him, disaster reporting in Nigeria has largely remained reactive, with journalists often covering incidents only after lives and property have been lost.
“The current pattern of disaster reporting is mostly reactive. We must embrace a proactive approach by using Earth Observation technology to understand the likelihood of disasters before they occur and communicate the risks to the people,” he said.
Yunus noted that timely dissemination of early warning information would enable communities, emergency responders and government agencies to take preventive measures, reducing the impact of disasters.
Project Lead, Prof. Aliyu Barau, said the training was designed to strengthen evidence-based environmental journalism through the use of satellite imagery, geospatial data and remote sensing technologies.
He noted that increasing incidents of flooding, drought, land degradation, deforestation, heat waves and pollution require accurate and timely information for effective decision-making.
According to Barau, Earth Observation technologies enable journalists to produce data-driven and investigative reports by monitoring environmental changes with greater precision while improving the credibility of news reports through independent satellite evidence.
He encouraged journalists to collaborate with scientists, geospatial experts and policymakers to ensure scientific information is effectively communicated to the public.
Also speaking, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), BUK, Prof. Amina Mustapha, described climate change as one of the greatest challenges confronting Northern Nigeria and the Sahel region.
She identified shrinking Lake Chad, desertification, drying rangelands and erratic weather patterns among the major environmental threats affecting livelihoods and food security, urging journalists to pay greater attention to local climate issues.
In a virtual address, ESA Research Coordinator and Future Earth Liaison, Freya Muir, said Earth Observation data provides actionable information for climate monitoring, disaster response and environmental management.
The workshop, themed “Earth Observation for Journalism, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Communication,” featured practical sessions on satellite imagery, geospatial platforms and digital tools to strengthen investigative journalism, disaster reporting and climate change communication.
