As climate change continues to devastate communities across Pakistan, the British High Commission is stepping up efforts to empower the country’s journalists with tools and training to drive awareness and action.
As part of its nationwide climate journalism initiative, a special training session was held this week at Samaa Digital’s Lahore office.
Led by Sneha Lala, the deputy director of communications and public diplomacy at the British High Commission, the session focused on the immense cost of climate inaction -- projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2050 -- and the critical role journalists can play in influencing public discourse and policymaking through impactful climate storytelling.
“Within that $1.2 trillion figure are countless lives, livelihoods, and futures,” said Lala during the session. “But climate journalism offers a different path—one that informs, inspires, and demands change.”
The training featured Chevening alumna Sana Munir, the director of local government audit Punjab, who shared her perspectives on how local governance intersects with climate resilience. Also present was Muhammad Talal, a senior sub-editor at Samaa Digital and an alumnus of the British High Commission’s Chevening Climate Mentorship Programme, who offered insights on integrating climate narratives into fast-paced digital news environments.
The session included a video message from Leo Hickman, the editor and director of the UK-based Carbon Brief, who stressed the importance of evidence-based journalism and the global responsibility of media in reporting the climate emergency. A message of support from the British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott further emphasized the UK’s commitment to supporting climate action in Pakistan.
The British High Commission has already conducted similar trainings with major media groups in Islamabad, Lahore, and will continue the programme in Karachi. A climate journalism competition will also be held, where winning participants will receive direct mentorship from Leo Hickman.
With Pakistan among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, the initiative aims to equip newsrooms with the knowledge, connections, and urgency to center climate in their reporting.
