Communicating climate change in Africa through the theatre for development process

Abstract

The reality of climate change has started dawning on various parts of the world. The depletion of the ozone layer through over-heating of the atmosphere, actions and inactions of humans, has resulted in the thawing of the ice at the polar regions, which has caused the overflow of oceanic
waters leading to massive floods in hitherto dry places and causing destruction of lives of persons and animals, infrastructure and the disruption of services essential for human existence and continuity. Such has been the effect of climate change that global and local measures need
to be enunciated, agreed upon and implemented, in the bid to save the planet earth. These measures can only succeed if the humans are made to appreciate the gravity of the situation. The understanding is that humans need to be sensitized and people mobilized in a mass effort to
reverse the trend. And the theatre for development methodology is recommended as a most dependable model of communication and mass mobilization process. And as the least of the continents in the technology drive, Africa presents itself as the most vulnerable in the event of a
global disaster. This paper examines this issue and proposes how the theatre for development model of communication could be utilized in sensitizing the populace on the danger it portends. The enunciations shall also be influenced by the outcome of a practical theatre for development
activity embarked upon by these researchers as lecturers in theatre arts and environmental planning.