Greenwashing is a concept where businesses claim to take action on climate change, it is however more of a marketing strategy than a genuine effort, said Mahima Jain, Bengaluru-based independent multimedia journalist. She delivered a lecture on the impact of climate change and its coverage in journalism at ACJ-Bloomberg. Jain said that climate change is characterized by the long-term shift in global temperatures.

Jain  explained the three pillars of constructive journalism: focusing on solutions, covering news with depth and context, and promoting democratic conversation. Jain said that sports is a major contributor to climate change due to an increase in activities such as air travel, energy consumption, and waste generation when an event takes place.

Gender plays a crucial role in the climate change narrative said Jain. Although 48.2% of India’s population comprises women, their representation in the news has dropped to just 14%. Jain added they climate change pushes women to migrate and fall prey to trafficking and modern slavery.

Women are involved in the fisheries sector, making up 75% of the workforce and climate change impacts their livelihoods through the depletion of fish stocks, cyclones, heatwaves, and ocean tides.

Jain said journalists should consult with women experts or analysts when reporting on these issues to understand them from a gender balanced perspective.