The CBA’s president, Moneeza Hashmi, was a trainer at two workshops to engage media professionals on ozone depletion and climate change.

The events, held in Malaysia and the Maldives, were organised by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development.

Ms Hashmi, first row, second from left, said that after the training she hoped that broadcasters would “go back and make programmes on ozone depletion and climate change and will also submit entries to the World TV Awards of 2013.”

The organisers aim to gain the support of participants and their broadcasters in order to raise awareness at government, industry and public levels, and ultimately help in the push to phase out HCFCs in the region. The Maldivian government announced at the workshop that it would ban the import of equipment using HCFCs from July next year.

Broadcasters at the workshops highlighted the importance of the media’s role in creating awareness among the public on environmental issues. Sea level rises caused by climate change are a grave problem facing countries such as the Maldives, and the many island nations of the Asia-Pacific.