Considering the climate crisis into account, experts in the field today urged for the continued and
comprehensive media reporting on disaster preparedness rather than focusing on hard news stories such as
post-disaster coverage. As per data from the Ministry of Health and Population, air pollution in Nepal
leads around 40,000 deaths annually, with the Kathmandu valley being exposed as the world’s most
polluted city. “Good news is also news and we should go beyond news, ” said Sonia Awale, who
specialized in environmental reporting, and currently Executive Editor at Nepali Times.
Top Khatrai, a conservationist and Natural Resource Management manager at the United Nations
Environment Program, highlighted that despite the continued coverage of environmental issues by both
national and international media outlets, there persists a trend for the media outlets to prioritize political
and corporate stories on their front pages. “Lessons learned in the past must be translated into action’, he
emphasized. Citing cases such as Nepali soldiers having had to die during wildfire operations in
Ramechhap a couple of years ago, he brought to notice the lack of capacity enhancement in Nepal and
redefinition of community forestry programs which are important to be covered by the press.
They were interacting with the students at the MediaTalk series-xxxii organized by the Faculty of
Journalism, Department of Major Arts, St. Xavier’s College. In the context of the World Press Freedom
Day, the theme for the series-xxxii was set as, ‘Role of the Press in Tackling Environmental Crisis’.
In a note shared by the Principal of the College, Fr. Dr. Augustine Thomas, S.J. said, “In a Jesuit College
like St. Xavier’s, the role of the media studies is much more than a course or advocacy. We promote
environmental stewardship among the staff and students. For us at St. Xavier’s Journalism studies
contribute to the mission of the College of educating individuals who are conscious of their role in
creating a more just and sustainable world.”
“In alignment with the theme of the upcoming World Press Freedom Day, I am pleased to have an
interactive and constructive conversation among the students. This event significantly helped us in
educating and empowering students on the themes we take care of,” said Chun Bahadur Gurung, who
leads the Journalism program at St. Xavier’s College.