EVENT
As climate change stories often lean toward crisis and catastrophe, a new initiative is working to change the tone, focusing instead on evidence, inclusion, and locally grounded solutions.
This November, the Science Media Centre Malaysia, in collaboration with WWF-Malaysia and with support from the British Council Alumni UK, launches the PANAS! Climate Storytelling Workshop and Panel Discussion, aimed at empowering journalists and content creators to craft evidence-based, human-focused, and solutions-driven climate stories.
Held on Saturday, 8 November 2025, the programme features two interconnected sessions: a hands-on storytelling workshop in the morning and an open panel discussion in the afternoon at Sustain.ed, Kuala Lumpur.
The one-day workshop invites Malaysian journalists, writers, and digital creators to learn how to localise climate narratives, ground them in evidence, and highlight inclusive, community-driven responses to the climate crisis. Participants will be guided by experienced mentors in science communication and solutions journalism, learning how to turn complex climate data into relatable human stories.
Selected participants stand a chance to win a RM1,500 production grant to produce either a written article or a one-minute social media video on climate action in Malaysia. The winning stories will be mentored, refined, and pitched for publication in local media outlets.
The PANAS! Climate Storytelling Workshop marks the next phase of SMC Malaysia’s effort to build climate literacy and solutions journalism capacity in Malaysia. Previous editions such as PANAS! Climate Change Stories in Malaysia and PANAS! Science Journalism Workshop have supported emerging writers and journalists to publish stories on localised climate issues, ranging from coral restoration and indigenous land stewardship to sustainable tourism and urban resilience.
Those interested in joining the workshop to craft solutions-driven and inclusive climate stories, submit your Expression of Interest via this link: tinyurl.com/PANASClimateStorytelling2025 by 29 Oct 2025 (11:59 PM).
Admission is free, but places are limited. We are selecting 30 participants for this exclusive one-day workshop.
In the afternoon, a panel discussion, titled “Shifting the Climate Narrative: From Doom and Gloom to Evidence, Solutions, and Inclusion”, brings together voices from science, media, and the creative sector.
Panelists include:
🌿 Aidil Iman — Climate Change and Environment Policy Analyst, WWF-Malaysia. He drives advocacy that elevates nature’s role in climate policy and champions youth as key rights-holders in climate governance.
🌏 Dr Marieanne Leong — Climate scientist and founder of ESGee Earth. Through Climate Action Sabah, an initiative by ESGee Earth, she connects lived experiences of climate change with scientific data to drive inclusive action.
🎭 Florence Lambert — Head of Arts and Creative Industries, British Council Malaysia. She champions the role of arts, culture, and heritage in shaping climate awareness and fostering creative collaborations between Malaysia and the UK.
Moderated by Satpal Kaler, multimedia journalist and co-founder of The Fourth, the session will explore how evidence, culture, and lived experience intersect to shape Malaysia’s climate storytelling.
The conversation will unpack how journalists and creators can humanise climate reporting, integrate scientific accuracy, and include perspectives often left out of mainstream narratives, from indigenous communities to young activists and artists.
📅 Event Date: 8 November 2025
📍 Venue: Sustain.ed, Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur (Location map)
🔗 Open to the public, RSVP before 5 Nov: tinyurl.com/PANASPanelDiscussion
Together, these initiatives aim to transform how Malaysia talks about the climate crisis, not as a distant disaster, but as a story of resilience, collaboration, and solutions.
