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Coastal Lab 1.0, a three-day intensive training program, successfully equipped journalists and media professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to report effectively on the impacts of climate change in coastal regions. Held in Khulna, a region profoundly affected by environmental changes, the workshop provided participants with the tools to tell compelling stories that capture the realities of vulnerable coastal communities. By focusing on both local and global narratives, the training helped bridge the gap between first-hand experiences and the broader climate conversation, ensuring that the voices of these communities reached national and international platforms.

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Climate change continues to pose severe challenges to Bangladesh’s coastal regions, with rising sea levels, increasing salinity, and frequent natural disasters threatening livelihoods. Despite these pressing issues, the stories of those affected often remain underreported. Recognizing the critical role of journalists in documenting these environmental changes, Coastal Lab 1.0 aimed to enhance their capacity to produce accurate, in-depth, and impactful climate reporting.

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The workshop brought together 22 participants, including local journalists and Mass Communication and Journalism students from Khulna University. Through a combination of practical and theoretical sessions, they received hands-on training in climate change journalism, investigative reporting, and combatting misinformation. Expert-led discussions and interactive exercises allowed them to refine their storytelling techniques, ensuring their reporting could influence public awareness and policy discussions.

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With all logistics, accommodation, and meals managed by Coastal Voices, participants were able to focus entirely on learning and collaboration. The workshop fostered a strong sense of community among attendees, encouraging them to continue reporting on climate change issues with accuracy and depth.

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By the end of Coastal Lab 1.0, participants left with enhanced skills, deeper insights, and a renewed commitment to bringing coastal climate stories to the forefront of media and policy discussions. The initiative successfully empowered local reporters, ensuring their voices contribute meaningfully to the global conversation on climate change.

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Session Highlights

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Voices from the Shore: Navigating Community Journalism in Coastal Region

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This session focused on the transformative role of community journalism in ensuring that the voices of coastal communities affected by climate change are heard. Participants explored strategies for building trust and engaging with local populations, learning how to document firsthand accounts of environmental changes and adaptation efforts. Through interactive discussions and case studies, they examined successful examples of community-driven storytelling and its impact on public discourse and policy. The session emphasized the importance of sensitivity in reporting, ethical considerations, and ways to ensure that community perspectives are accurately and powerfully represented. By the end, participants had developed approaches to amplify grassroots climate narratives, ensuring they reached both national and international audiences.

Trainer profile

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Rafiqul Islam Montu is a leading Bangladeshi freelance journalist specializing in climate and coastal reporting for over three decades. His work on environmental and human rights issues has appeared in major international outlets such as The Guardian, Thomson Reuters, and Eco-Business. He has received 20 national and international awards, including UNICEF’s Meena Award, authored two books, and completed fellowships with Internews and the Center for Sustainable Development.

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Tales from the Delta: Reporting Climate Realities in South-Western Bangladesh

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This session tackled the unique environmental challenges of South-Western Bangladesh, a region at the forefront of climate change. Participants learned about the impact of rising sea levels, increased salinity, and displacement due to extreme weather events. The session introduced effective field reporting techniques, guiding participants on conducting interviews with affected communities, using scientific data to support stories, and presenting complex environmental issues in a way that resonates with diverse audiences. Trainers shared real-world examples of climate storytelling, highlighting how local journalists can bring hidden struggles to light. By the end, participants had developed story ideas rooted in local realities, reinforcing the power of regional storytelling in shaping climate policy and action.

Trainer Profile

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Abu Hena Mostafa Jamal (Poplu), a seasoned broadcast journalist and coastal activist, has nearly 20 years of experience and serves as Special Correspondent at Machranga Television since 2019. An IVLP alumnus, he is also a guest lecturer at Khulna University’s Mass Communication and Journalism Discipline. As President of Coastal Voice of Bangladesh and a Climate Justice Forum member, Jamal actively supports coastal journalism and media professionals. His global participation includes the UN Disaster Risk Reduction Platform and the Global Water Conference.

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Investigative Journalism in Climate Reporting: Uncovering the Truth Behind Climate Issues

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This session took a deep dive into the principles and practices of investigative journalism, with a focus on uncovering the hidden truths behind climate change impacts. Participants were introduced to data journalism techniques, fact-checking tools, and methods for verifying sources, ensuring their reports were credible, evidence-based, and impactful. Trainers guided them on how to track climate-related corruption, corporate accountability, and government policies, showing how investigative journalism can expose systemic failures and highlight urgent environmental concerns. Through practical exercises, attendees practiced developing story pitches, mapping sources, and structuring in-depth climate reports. The session aimed to empower journalists to go beyond surface-level reporting and produce stories that drive awareness and accountability.

Trainer Profile

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Md. Shariful Islam, Assistant Professor in Mass Communication and Journalism at Khulna University, holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field from Dhaka University. He began his career as a crime reporter at The Daily Samakal, gaining critical experience in investigative reporting. Later transitioning to academia, he served as a lecturer at Daffodil International University. An active freelance trainer and columnist, Islam has published research nationally and internationally, dedicated to advancing Mass Communication and Journalism in both academic and professional spheres.

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Clearing the Fog: Combatting Climate Misinformation in the Digital Age

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In an era where misinformation spreads rapidly, this session equipped participants with the skills to identify, counter, and report on climate misinformation. Trainers provided insights into common climate myths, misleading narratives, and deliberate disinformation campaigns, helping journalists differentiate between credible sources and false claims. The session covered the role of social media algorithms in spreading misinformation and provided hands-on training on using fact-checking tools and AI-driven verification techniques. Participants engaged in real-time exercises, learning how to debunk viral climate hoaxes and communicate accurate information in an accessible manner. The session underscored the responsibility of journalists in ensuring that climate reporting remains truthful, data-driven, and resistant to manipulation.

Trainer Profile

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Md. Akil Khan, a dedicated media literacy and fact-checking trainer, specializes in addressing misinformation across climate, environmental, health, and political topics. Working with Rumor Scanner, a leading fact-checking organization in Bangladesh, he focuses on verifying information and debunking false narratives. Khan has conducted extensive workshops, equipping participants with skills to critically assess media content and engage responsibly online. His work, especially in coastal areas, emphasizes media literacy as a tool for social empowerment, providing practical strategies to combat misinformation effectively.

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On-the-Go Reporting: MOJO Methods for Climate Change Stories

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This hands-on session introduced participants to Mobile Journalism (MOJO) techniques, enabling them to capture, edit, and publish climate change stories directly from the field. Trainers demonstrated the use of smartphones, portable microphones, and editing apps, ensuring that journalists could produce high-quality visual and audio content with minimal equipment. The session emphasized agile reporting, showing how to quickly capture breaking climate stories, conduct on-the-spot interviews, and document environmental changes in real-time. Participants practiced shooting, editing, and publishing stories on digital platforms, learning how to create compelling multimedia reports that engage both local and global audiences. By the end, they had gained practical skills to enhance the speed and effectiveness of their climate journalism.

Trainer Profile

Dr. Abdul Kabil Khan, associate professor at Daffodil International University's Department of Journalism, is also a visiting faculty at Chandigarh University. He authored Bangladesh's first mobile journalism book, Mobile Journalism: Journalism of Our Time, and co-authored a social mobile journalism manual. Khan holds a Ph.D. from Moscow’s Peoples’ Friendship University and has trained over 1,500 journalists on mobile journalism, social media, and digital-first journalism. Recognized as a top 40 global mobile journalist, he speaks widely at conferences and collaborates with various international media organizations.

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Think Globally, Report Locally: Climate Change Narratives in the Digital Age

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This session encouraged participants to position local climate stories within the global climate discourse, ensuring that regional narratives gain international relevance. Trainers discussed how climate reporting can influence policy, international aid, and global awareness, demonstrating how localized experiences connect to worldwide climate challenges. Participants explored techniques for framing stories in a way that resonates with international audiences, including leveraging global data, collaborating with international media, and engaging with climate organizations. Through case studies, they analyzed successful climate storytelling that has led to policy changes and increased awareness, reinforcing the power of local voices in global climate advocacy. By the end, participants had refined their ability to translate local climate experiences into impactful, globally recognized narratives.

Trainer Profile

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Sadiqur Rahman, a Bangladeshi journalist with over 12 years of experience, focuses on climate change, biodiversity, and livelihood issues. His reporting highlights challenges facing Bangladeshi communities, promoting sustainable practices. Known for investigative journalism, he has earned awards like the Special Award for Investigative Journalism on Renewable Energy (2023). Sadiqur completed a Thomson Reuters fellowship in Vietnam on climate funding (2018) and a Climate Action Network fellowship, publishing in-depth reports on Dhaka’s climate impacts. He is currently in Oxford Climate Journalism Network’s six-month training program.