Reporting the Change

Rwanda’s vulnerability to climate change is underscored by its ranking of 124th out of 182 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative’s index. Projections indicate that the economic costs associated with climate change could be approximately 1% of the country’s annual GDP by 2030, increasing to 2.5% by 2050.

With climate change threatening Rwanda’s economic and social stability, the need for rigorous environmental reporting has never been greater. Yet, despite the country’s strong environmental laws, critical coverage of issues such as deforestation, mining and pollution remains limited. To bridge this gap, Thomson Media, in partnership with the Legal Aid Forum (LAF), launched the project “Empowering the Rwandan media to promote environmental issues” in 2024, helping 15 journalists to take on environmental reporting and demand accountability from authorities. Covering climate change, biodiversity loss, greenwashing and sustainable development, the programme focused on scientific accuracy, compelling storytelling and legal protections, allowing participants to produce highimpact reporting on Rwanda’s environmental crisis.

A New Perspective

For journalist Francine Andrew Saro, the training reshaped her understanding of environmental issues. Initially, she perceived “the environment” as a distant, abstract topic, separate from daily life. However, the training altered this perspective. “I used to think that environmental reporting was just about whatever was happening at some far-away forest,” she said. “But now, I see that it’s about everything—food security, public health, water access, even the economy.”

Francine’s current investigation focuses on deforestation in Rwanda’s Kayonza District, where, despite ambitious reforestation projects, illegal logging and agricultural expansion continue to erode biodiversity. Her reporting exposes the tension between conservation efforts and economic pressures, highlighting the urgent need for stricter deforestation regulations and increased community engagement.

Struggling for Attention 

Despite the urgency of climate issues, environmental stories remain underreported in Rwandan media. Fulgence Niyonagize, a journalist investigating the environmental impact of mining and quarrying, identifies the lack of interest from audiences and the costs associated with environmental reporting as major obstacles. “The budget required for one environmental story could fund 10 stories in other more popular subjects like politics, economy and sports,” he said.

As part of Thomson’s project, Fulgence’s investigation into Rwanda’s mining industry reveals how weak restoration efforts left nearly 1,000 sites degraded, with erosion and deforestation threatening local communities. He emphasised that while Rwanda has strong environmental policies, enforcement often falls short. “Journalism has a role to play in ensuring enforcement. If we expose these issues with facts and evidence, authorities may be more likely to act,” he said.

For Thomson’s Chief Executive Caro Kriel, the success of the programme shows there’s a growing momentum to expand environmental journalism training in the region. “Through projects like this we can ensure that the stories shaping Rwanda’s ecological future are told with accuracy, depth, and impact,” she said. 

“Empowering the Rwandan media to promote environmental issues” was funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).