Effective communication: Lessons for responding to climate change and health pandemics

Meeting the diverse needs of decision-makers as they seek to understand and address climate change is a formidable challenge. This is even more pressing in times of crisis, such as the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Emergent needs and vulnerabilities, cross-cutting themes and the complexities surrounding decision-making argue for new kinds of communication techniques and new models for engagement. Preferably, ones that build on the strength of existing methods but also pioneer new models for information dissemination, knowledge generation and collaboration.

In this webinar, experts in the field of communication, as well as leading decision-makers from national, provincial and local governments in African cities come together to unpack important questions that many in the urban sustainability industry are currently contemplating. The webinar will deep-dive into pioneering African cases to pull out tangible lessons, reflect on local challenges and opportunities and learn about success and failures for replicability.

Compilation of additional resources in English, French, and Portuguese aligned with this webinar:

Governing through crisis. This five-part crisis management webinar series helps local and regional governments respond to COVID-19 – English

COVID-19 special: Working remotely for public servants. This free online workshop explains how to stay productive and leverage the full potential of your team while working remotely. – English

COVID-19: Four recommendations for inclusive risk communication. These recommendations are based on a review of current risk communication guidelines (e.g. WHO, UNICEF, UK Government) and peer-reviewed articles. – English

Community engagement during COVID-19: A guide for community-facing staff. This guide is intended to support teams working directly with communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. – English

Coronavirus : l’Afrique face à la pandémie des fake news. Depuis l’apparition de la pandémie de Covid-19, une épidémie d’informations contradictoires et de désinformation manipulée se propage aux quatre coins du globe. Si l’Afrique est jusqu’ici le continent le moins touché par le virus, elle ne résiste pas à la fièvre des fake news. – French

Côte d’Ivoire : les vaccins boycottés à cause de fake news. Des rumeurs ont fait baisser la couverture vaccinale de 10 % en avril et mai, par rapport à la même période en 2019. – French

Audrey Azoulay : « La crise du coronavirus est l’occasion de repenser la place de la culture ». Alors que la pandémie de Covid-19 frappe durement les secteurs de la culture et de l’éducation, la directrice générale de l’Unesco milite pour une réflexion et des solutions à l’échelle mondiale. – French

 « L’Ecole de la Terre », un contenu éducatif pour garder les élèves connectés à la nature à l’ère de la Covid-19. Une réponse à la crise du Covid-19, le PNUE propose, avec des partenaires, «L’Ecole de la Terre», un contenu éducatif gratuit et de qualité pour aider les élèves, les parents et les enseignants du monde entier qui sont actuellement à la maison. – French

Vaincre la pandémie de Covid-19 par la sensibilisation. Distribution d’étiquettes et autocollants de sensibilisation, récolte de fonds ou sensibilisation porte-à-porte : les campagnes de lutte contre la Covid-19 sont multiformes en Afrique. – French

Coronavírus – África : Novo relatório fornece aos governos africanos informações e orientações em tempo real para encontrar o equilíbrio na resposta ao COVID-19. Dados em tempo real de 20 países africanos direcionam diretrizes de prevenção para salvar vidas. – Portuguese

#RadarICLEI_Covid19. This hashtag relates to a periodical curatorship, by ICLEI South America, of national and international references to inform, inspire and support the actions of local governors. – Portuguese