African journalists now have a continental reporting guide to help them navigate one of the most complex stories shaping the future of the continent- the transition to cleaner and more sustainable economies.
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) this week launched A Practical Guide to Reporting Just Transition in Africa, described as the first continental guide specifically designed to strengthen journalism on the just transition.
The idea of Just Transition is a brain child of labour unions and environmental justice groups that recognised that many industries were simultaneously harming workers, communities, and the environment, and saw the need to phase out the industries while also providing just pathways for workers into new livelihoods.
The new guide seeks to help journalists report on issues ranging from climate change and climate finance to workers’ rights, renewable energy, climate justice and sustainable development, while placing African experiences and perspectives at the centre of the conversation.
It was launched on August 7 and released publicly on August 11, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, during a conference on African workers’ contribution to energy sovereignty, green industrialisation and a common African position ahead of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31).
The tool focuses on the role of journalism in helping the public understand what the shift to cleaner economies means for workers, businesses, governments and communities.
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) President Omar Faruk Osman said the just transition should increasingly become a priority for public interest journalism because of its implications for jobs, livelihoods and economic development.
‘Just transition is one of the most important public interest journalism issues of our time because it profoundly affects people’s jobs, livelihoods, workers’ rights and the future of our economies,’ Mr Osman said.
He said that journalists have a responsibility to explain the opportunities and challenges created by the transition while ensuring that workers and communities affected by climate policies are heard.
‘Africa and its people are among those hardest hit by a climate crisis they did not create, making a just transition an important pathway towards a fairer and more sustainable future,’ he said.
Bridging the climate reporting gap
The guide was launched by Mr Osman alongside International Trade Union Confederation-Africa (ITUC-Africa) General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie, ITUC-Africa Deputy President Rose Omamo, FAJ Working Group on Climate Change chairperson Ahmed Sahid Nasralla and Gambia Press Union president Isatou Keita.
Mr Nasralla said the publication was informed by FAJ’s engagement with journalists and trade unions in different parts of Africa.
‘From Côte d’Ivoire to Kenya and Ethiopia, we have seen growing interest among journalists in reporting on the just transition, but we have also recognised the need for practical guidance,’ he said.
He said climate change is increasingly becoming a high-stakes public interest issue, yet journalists often struggle to access specialised knowledge and reliable reporting tools.
The guide therefore provides practical reporting techniques, case studies and ethical guidance intended to help journalists produce evidence-based stories that reflect African realities.
It covers climate justice, climate finance, renewable energy, workers’ rights and information integrity, among other areas.
Giving workers a voice
For workers and trade unions, the publication is also expected to help bring greater public attention to the consequences of the transition.
Mr Odigie said trade unions were doing important work on the just transition, but their concerns were not always receiving adequate media attention.
‘Trade unions are doing remarkable work, but too often their stories go untold,’ he said.
He said stronger cooperation between journalists and trade unions could help ensure workers’ concerns are reflected in public debate and policy decisions.
‘Better media coverage will strengthen public understanding, encourage governments to adopt policies that protect workers and affected communities and contribute to a fairer transition,’ Mr Odigie said.
Ms Omamo said workers, including journalists, are increasingly asking what the transition to greener economies means for their livelihoods.
‘We must ensure that workers have opportunities to reskill and upskill and that no one is left behind,’ she said.
Africa’s energy balance
The just transition concept has gained prominence as African countries seek to respond to climate change while also addressing energy poverty, unemployment, industrialisation and economic development.
For many African countries, the debate is particularly complicated because economies remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels and other natural resources. At the same time, millions of people still lack reliable access to modern energy.
This has created a difficult policy balance between reducing emissions and ensuring that efforts to tackle climate change do not worsen poverty, unemployment or inequality.
Journalists therefore have an important role in interrogating how climate and energy policies affect ordinary people, including workers in industries facing disruption, communities hosting energy projects and households expected to adopt cleaner technologies.
A resource for African newsrooms
Ms Keita said the new publication would also serve as a professional development resource for journalists’ unions across Africa.
‘Across Africa, journalists are increasingly reporting on climate change and its impact on people’s lives, but many need accessible guidance to cover these complex issues with confidence and accuracy,’ she said.
She said journalists’ unions could use the guide for training, mentoring and professional development.
The publication is available in English, French and Portuguese and will be distributed through FAJ-affiliated journalists’ unions and media organisations across Africa.
Digital editions will also be made freely available to widen access among journalists and newsrooms.
Its production was funded by Mondiaal FNV, the international solidarity organisation of the Dutch trade union movement, in support of efforts to strengthen trade union engagement on climate justice, decent work and the just transition.
FAJ said the guide forms part of its wider programme to strengthen public interest journalism on climate change, the just transition and information integrity.
The federation is working with ITUC-Africa, global union federations in Africa, journalists’ unions, media organisations and development partners to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report on the economic, social and environmental dimensions of climate change.
For African newsrooms, the challenge now is to move the guide from the bookshelf into the newsroom, and translate an increasingly technical climate debate into stories that show audiences how the transition will affect their jobs, incomes, energy costs, communities and future.