SESSION
Reporting on the intersection of climate change and health while science is under siege
Global health research and funding are in turmoil, and trust in science — and in science journalism — is under pressure. This roundtable brings together a scientist, science journalists and media trainers to discuss how journalists can better cover the links between climate, the environment and health. The session looks at two connected crises: how climate change harms health, and how shrinking investments weaken the ability to act. It also explores why it’s now more pressing for journalists and scientists to work together to find and explain the evidence behind these stories. By building this understanding together, they make the links clear and hold policymakers to account.
Ida JoosteSession producer and moderator | Bhekisha | South Africa
Ida Jooste is a seasoned health and science journalist. She’s worked in newsrooms in Durban, Johannesburg and Nairobi, winning 20+ national and international media awards for her work. At the media development organisation, Internews, she led a global COVID-19 media initiative and provided journalist mentoring in all areas of health science. She is currently a consultant writer and media trainer at Bhekisisa in South Africa.
Marietjie VenterSpeaker | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa
Marietjie Venter is a distinguished professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, and holder of a NRF SARCHI Research Chair in Emerging Viral Threats, One Health Surveillance and Vaccines, as funded through the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI). Her career reflects a mix of scholarship, scientific leadership and collaboration, as well as public-health impact. With more than two decades of experience in emerging zoonotic, vector-borne and respiratory viruses, her work bridges human, animal and environmental health, and in the process strengthens epidemic and pandemic preparedness through genomic surveillance, diagnostics and vaccine research. She has authored over 180 scientific papers with more than 11 500 citations, and is widely recognised for advancing One Health approaches across Africa and globally. Prof Venter serves as President-Elect of the World Society of Virology and chairs the Southern African Society for Virology. She led the organising committee of the 8th World One Health Congress held in Cape Town in 2024 and advises the World Health Organisation on influenza, RSV and arbovirus surveillance.
Amy SimSpeaker | Internews’ Earth Journalism Network | Singapore
Amy Sim Kok Eng is regional programme manager for Asia-Pacific environmental programs at Internews. She oversees and manages EJN’s environmental projects in Asia and the Pacific. As part of this work, she and her team support journalists to report at the intersection of climate, the environment, and health.
Michael GwarisaSpeaker | HealthTimes News | Zimbabwe
Michael Gwarisa is a Zimbabwean journalist and media professional, and the editor of an online health news publication in Zimbabwe. He has contributed to various media outlets, focusing on issues such as public health, HIV/AIDS, maternal health, harm reduction and more in Zimbabwe and the broader Southern African region.