The perils of environmental journalism
UNESCO noted that this year’s World Press Freedom Day is dedicated to the importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of the current global environmental crisis.
ENVIRONMENTAL journalists face many forms of harassment, like online threats and physical and legal attacks. A report published by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on World Press Freedom Day (May 3) warns of increasing violence against and intimidation of journalists reporting on the environment and climate disruption.
At least 749 journalists or news media reporting on environmental issues have been attacked in the last 15 years, and online disinformation has surged dramatically in this period.
With the theme “A Press for the Planet,” UNESCO stressed that the access to reliable information and the importance of strengthening independent environmental and scientific journalism is more critical than ever.
UNESCO noted that this year’s World Press Freedom Day is dedicated to the importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of the current global environmental crisis.
The UNESCO report was echoed as one of the major threats to media practitioners during the recent consecutive media conferences that gathered journalists, media workers, educators, human rights, and press freedom advocates.
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) held the Third Investigative Journalism Conference (IJPH)
from April 30 to May 2, 2024 that tackled the importance of investigative journalism and watchdog journalism amid the increasingly challenging political and information environments.
In commemorating World Press Freedom Day, the First Philippine Media Safety Summit was held on May 3, 2024 that aimed to facilitate a review and assessment of the state of journalism and freedom of expression in the country.
One of the IJPH breakout sessions touched on environment and community issues presented by journalists Karl Lipneten, Jhesset Enano, Leilani Chavez, and Caecent No-ot Magsumbol.
“Independent journalists as well as scientists are crucial actors in helping our societies to separate facts from lies and manipulation in order to take informed decisions, including about environmental policies,” UNESCO said.
I was assigned in the environment beat during the mid 1990s when I was still connected with a major daily while finishing my legal studies at the University of the Philippines College of Law.
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen is calling on the government to intervene in the climate change case lodged before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), stressing the need to take action for communities in the country continuously facing the brunt of the climate crisis.
“We are a nation whose geographical location has made us vulnerable to natural disaster. We are reliant on agriculture and fisheries, to which we must consider the impact of natural disasters both on the livelihoods of our farmers and fisherfolk, and on our own survival as a nation,” added Leonen, who was my professor at the UP Law.
Cyber-libel was also identified as a continuing threat to media practitioners.
Libel is the public and malicious imputation of a crime, of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural person or juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead.
The traditional concept of libel involves print media, radio and television broadcasts.
RA 10175 was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III on September 12, 2012 wherein “cyber libel” is among the actions criminalized.
The application of the law penalizing libel has been extended to cyberspace and electronic platforms, including social media, websites, blogs, forums, and other digital channels.
Justice Leonen is vocal for the decriminalization of cyber libel due to its possible “chilling effect” on speech, which he noted in his dissenting opinion in the case of Disini vs Secretary of Justice (G.R. No. 203335, February 18, 2014) in connection with the constitutionality of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, including the provisions on cyber libel.
Chilling effect generally occurs when a law is either too broad or too vague wherein individuals or groups refrain from engaging in expression for fear of running afoul of a law or regulation, retaliation, prosecution, or punitive governmental action.
Leonen stressed that the threat of being prosecuted for libel stifles the dynamism of the conversations that take place in cyberspace.
“The kinds of speech that are actually deterred by libel law are more valuable than the state interest that is sought to be protected by the crime. Besides, there are less draconian alternatives which have very minimal impact on the public’s fundamental right of expression,” Leonen said.