Press coverage can have a powerful effect on how the regulated community conducts itself in environmental affairs. The prospect of bad publicity stemming from media coverage of environmental violations can deter misconduct in some cases more than the fear of penalties. Moreover, the prospect of positive media coverage highlighting a company’s or industry’s good environmental record can serve as a strong incentive. As such, States are encouraged to make full use of the potential that liaising with the press in environmental matters can offer. Newspapers, the internet, television, and radio broadcasts are all potential tools.
Newspapers are increasingly addressing environmental issues. Until a few years ago, reporting on the environment was limited to reports of speeches on Environment Day or the coverage of tree-planting campaigns. Today journalists, working closely with environment activists, are much more pro-active and are focussing on larger issues on a much wider scale.
For more information on the use of media to promote public education and public awareness, see the case studies, explanatory text, and other reference materials relating to Guidelines 30
, 31, 41(a)(iv), and 44.