Filipina scientists who’ve written reports for the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) kicked off the Climate Media Labs for the Balangay Media Project Umalohokan Fellows last September 2, 2021.

Ms. Lourdes Tibig, advisor for the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, and Dr. Laurice Jamero, head of the Resilience Collaboratory of the Manila Observatory, provided an overview of the basics of climate change during the first session of the Climate Media Labs, a series of workshop sessions focused on developing climate communications and media planning to facilitate media blitz campaigns that urge citizen participation in climate resilience. 

The labs are a component of the Balangay Media Project which the Center launched in July this year with the aim to engage passionate communicators to steer public discourse on climate change and inspire action. Ten teams composed of representatives from media, academe, non-profit, and youth sectors were selected to move onto the Umalohokan Fellowship to the labs.

Ms. Tibig, who was the lead author of the IPCC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, discussed key terms and concepts, as well as causes of climate change. Her session aimed to provide general knowledge that communicators need to know to report on issues with a climate lens. 

Ms. Tibig lauded efforts of organizations to reach out to vulnerable communities but underscored the importance of continuing action. “There are organizations that go to the communities to help them internalize the changes in the climate and how it affects their lives. It is critical that the action items that were agreed upon are continued. There should be some guarantee that the activities started will not stop, it’s got to go on, and it’s got to be a dynamic process”, Ms. Tibig said during her session.

Dr. Jamero, who is a contributing author of the recently released Working Group I report of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), discussed impacts and vulnerabilities to climate change, including costs to ecosystems and sectors. Dr. Jamero shared the experiences of small island communities in Bohol which experience flooding during normal spring tides after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2013 induced land subsidence. Dr. Jamero also tackled social impacts of flooding as well as possible adaptation strategies.

Dr. Jamero highlighted the use of visuals when communicating the risks. “It’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words. In my experience with LGUs and decision makers, it is much easier for people to develop empathy and to move them to action by using visuals”, Dr. Jamero shared. 

Ms. Tibig has been a longtime collaborator of the OML Center. She was among the featured resource speakers in the award-winning documentary “Mga Kwento ng Klima”, which the Center co-produced with ABS-CBN DocuCentral to chronicle the effects of climate change and the Filipino experience. 

Dr. Jamero, on the other hand, was one of the resource speakers of the “Taking Stock: Why Should We Be Concerned About the Climate and Sea Level Changes?” forum last year organized by the Center with the Climate Change Commission and its National Panel of Technical Experts (CCC-NPTE). The forum featured discussions on the effects of sea level rise on a global and local scale as well as available data, and new techniques. (Read: “Addressing Sea Level Rise: Importance of historical data, projections and local adaptation highlighted by experts during online forum”)

Stream “Mga Kwento ng Klima” on our YouTube page. You may also visit the “Mga Kwento ng Klima” page on our website if you are interested in organizing a watch party for your school, organization or community. 

Watch the highlights video of the “Taking Stock: Why Should We Be Concerned About the Climate and Sea Level Changes?” forum last year on our YouTube channel.