Gazi Mahida Mizan: A three-day workshop on reporting non-economic loss and damage caused by climate change concluded in Satkhira on Thursday, with a focus on the impacts of the climate crisis on local communities, their cultures, lives and mental well-being.

Organized by the Earth Journalism Network (EJN), the workshop began on October 27 at Muzaffar Garden and Resort in the district.

A total of 44 media professionals and freelancers from Dhaka, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jashore and Satkhira took part.

During the workshop, Joydeep Gupta, former editor-at-large of The Third Pole and manager of EJN’s India program, discussed the concept of non-economic loss and damage caused by climate change.

Playwright and researcher Dr Simon Zakaria discussed how climate change affects the languages, cultures and festivals of marginalized communities.

Mental health expert Md Mojahid discussed the effects of climate change on physical and mental well-being, while senior journalists Pinaki Roy and Kalyan Banerjee shared their professional experiences of reporting on environmental and climate change issues in Bangladesh.

On the second day, participants visited Munda communities and fishing villages along the coast of Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira. The field visit provided an opportunity to learn about the challenges faced by coastal communities and explore how climate-related changes affect their lives.

On the final day, Thursday, Ritu Gupta of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund discussed the importance of incorporating gender dimensions into reporting on climate-related non-economic loss and damage.

The workshop concluded with participants developing action plans for reporting on non-economic loss and damage associated with climate change. Manasi Pintu, senior program associate at EJN, and Shameem Ara Sheuli, EJN’s Bangladesh coordinator, facilitated the session.