Airing climate justice in Costa Rica on World Radio Day 

In a crucial year for climate action which, in accordance with the Paris Agreement, seeks to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, World Radio Day is dedicated in 2025 to highlighting the power of broadcasting to bring climate change issues to prominence.That’s the goal of Climate Radio Route.Radio democratisesRadio is considered the most reliable medium, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which supports radio stations, like Climate Radio Route, in their journalistic coverage of this year’s theme.Adrián Martínez, director of La Ruta del Clima – the Climate Route – a Costa Rican non-governmental organization (NGO) promoting public participation in climate and environmental decision-making that has been an observer, advocating at the UN climate summits since 2014.“Radio in all its versions, whether digital or transmitted by antennas, is super important because it democratizes,” he told UN News . “Radio traditionally reaches places and communities where there is no Internet. It is also very generational. People interact with the radio day by day because it is ephemeral.”Climate hits the radio wavesThe Climate Route studies and exposes impacts “on the human rights of people in vulnerable communities in Latin America, especially in Central America, who have to deal with the adverse effects of climate change, for which they have very little responsibility but which is transforming their territories and ways of life”, Mr. Martínez explained.With the aim of disseminating and raising awareness in society about these issues, in 2015 the organization created the Ruta del Clima Radio – the Climate Radio Route.The programme was broadcast in the first years by a radio station of the University of Costa Rica and then by digital media through podcasts.Communities can make their voices heard“Communication that can have a massive reach has become very expensive and elitist,” Mr. Martínez said. “However, digital or traditional radio opens up that opportunity for communities, social organizations and movements to create their window and make their voices heard.”UNESCO argues that beyond popularising environmental concepts, by disseminating information independent of economic, ideological and political powers, radio can condition listeners’ perception of climate change, and the importance given to the issue.As such, radio can also contribute to shaping the public agenda and influencing policies in this regard.A training workshop on damage and loss in the community of Cahuita in Costa Rica.Connecting climate change to peopleThe Climate Radio Route has focused a lot on connecting the issue of climate change with people, not only at the national level in Costa Rica, but throughout the Latin American region.The programme discusses issues most relevant in climate governance and amplifies the work and experiences and opinions of colleagues,  activists and experts from t