Who are We???

Media in Pakistan has always been in forefront of highlighting issues of national importance, but its' emphasis has remained on political climate of the country rather than on human environment.

In the 1980s, nobody cared what environment was and if someone tried to write on green issues, editors stuffed their pieces on inside science or agriculture pages. Till 1992 environment was considered something related to atmospheric disturbances.

In 1992 media pundits in Pakistan started trying their hands on new concepts like sustainable development, ozone depletion, greenhouse effect, global warming etc. Green campaign of media spurred from the government, but since it was in the hands of non-specialist bureaucrats, the real message behind environmental awareness campaign could not reach the people.

Amid such a vacuum of information and persuasive communication on environmental issues some young journalists in Islamabad formed an association, Green Press.

It launch coincided with the World Environment Day on June 5, 1992. The association aimed at networking of journalists interested in green issues

Green reporting has still a long way to, because environment is not a single phenomenon, but a complex mix. It encompasses subjects like population studies and demography, economics, geography, meteorology, oceanography, agriculture, irrigation, forestation, chemistry, governance and international politics to name a few.

Thus a multi-disciplinary approach is required to understand and then disseminate information through mass media. The Green Press has an advantage, as its members have graduated in different disciplines, so through discussions and holding forums, they enhance their understanding on basic green issues.

Green Press has completed its eight years. Its preliminary efforts have contributed to environmental awareness in Pakistan. It holds many success stories but still lot more is to be done.

Affiliations

Green Press is associated with Forum of Environmental Journalists Pakistan and serves as its Islamabad - Rawalpindi Chapter. Internationally it is affiliated with Asia Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) and the Commonwealth Environmental Journalists Association. These national, regional and global linkages enable Green Press to benefit from the experience of environmental journalists in other parts of the world.