Noble Magazine produced ten articles on climate change projects and policies taking place across Botswana as part of this grant. Journalists looked particularly at how food waste affects the ecosystem of local communities and how sustainability efforts can exact change. The published content successfully raised awareness and challenged mindsets on climate change issues, encouraging public engagement and commitment on the part of local communities.

The project aimed to influence conversations on climate change and the environment within Botswana’s media landscape, in the community and at a government level. It not only sought to educate and inform its audience but also to have a deeper impact on policymaking. Several politicians have promised to table motions in Parliament to tackle environmental issues and climate change as a result of this project, and the content generated has allowed readers to make more informed decisions. Media houses in the region have also developed an interest in conducting more environmental reporting. Participants produced four investigative stories, four news stories, two video interviews and a newsletter.

This climate change reporting project took a broad look at Botswana’s Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions, particularly the energy sector, which is the largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions. Some of its research included a look into the effects of climate change on biodiversity, methane emissions in 14 of Botswana’s landfills, and coal technologies. Through its investigations, it found that infrastructure for climate change mitigation was omitted, not yet in place, or that those tasked with implementing projects were corrupt. The project also exposed that subsidies on coal, on which the country remains highly reliant to generate electricity, were destroying uptake of renewables. It also succeeded in alerting authorities to the concerns of citizens from different spheres on the importance and benefits of renewable energy. Defense Planet Protector Magazine produced 50 articles and 20 videos for this project.