Media training on green hydrogen
Green technology, energy and metals company Fortescue conducted a half-day media training workshop in the capital recently.Tailor-made for journalists, the training focused on enhancing their reporting skills regarding the subject and reporting on green hydrogen. The workshop featured distinguished speakers, including Fortescue’s Chief Climate Scientist Dr Shanta Barley who holds a PhD in marine ecology, a Masters in Oceanography from the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton, and studied Biological Sciences at Oxford University. Barley is a seasoned journalist renowned for her expertise in green hydrogen.
In her presentation, she highlighted the significant potential of green hydrogen in combating climate change and promoting clean energy. With 2023 being the hottest year on record and fossil fuels being the primary energy source, the urgency to transition to cleaner alternatives is essential.
The presentation further highlighted that the development of green hydrogen infrastructure in Namibia promises substantial environmental and economic benefits. This includes significant reductions in global CO² emissions, stimulation of economic growth, job creation, and enhanced energy security.
“Namibia is one of a handful of countries with the ability to accelerate global decarbonisation while generating immense domestic economic benefits,” she noted.
Another speaker was Nyasha Francis Nyaungwa, a revered media industry veteran with over two decades of experience. Nyaungwa's insights, garnered from his extensive career as the Namibian correspondent for Reuters and The Africa Report, brought invaluable perspectives to the table. Nyaungwa aligned key messaging from the journalists in attendance on green hydrogen reporting worldwide.
During this facilitation, he encouraged journalists to improve their reporting standards, and key messaging strategies to benefit readers and communities alike.
The event was introduced by Fortescue Energy's country manager Chris Movirongo, who provided a comprehensive demonstration of green hydrogen, further enriching the attendees' understanding of who Fortescue is and the importance of training media journalists that are required to report on a subject matter which is prominent in the news headlines.