ProCEEd's 10-step Environmental Education and Communication Strategy (EECS) aims at counterbalancing the low environmental awareness in Laos. ProCEEd will employ this strategy in 2013-2014 in order to reach its objective. An overview of recent and planned activities can be found in the ProCEEd project flyer.

A KAP survey in 2012 was the EECS' first step: It revealed that large sections of the rural population as well as many  decision-makers lack knowledge about the correlation between sustainable development and environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and climate change. Mass media, so far, pay limited attention to environmental and climate-related issues. Moreover, mass media outreach in Laos is restricted by geographical, socio-economic and language barriers.

The 10-step communication strategy is applied to mass media, non-formal education and vocational education and training activities. The project media mainly comprise a website, a bi-annual newsletter, a series of poster and factsheets. Photo competitions provide a pool of pictures that can be used for environmental communication and education purposes.

National and provincial mass media produce environ­mental magazines on TV and radio, and regular contributions to major newspapers. All media and non-formal environmental educational activities are multi-purpose in nature, i.e. interrelated and mutually supporting each other. For example, the photos gained through the photo competitions feed into the website, posters, travelling exhibitions or the Environmental Tours. Video clips or films produced for the TV program could be used for trainings, workshops, the website, non-formal education events or the Environmental Tours.

The ProCEEd team and its strategic partners have been producing regular environmental TV and radio programs and newspaper columns at the national and provincial level which viewers, listeners and readers in Lao PDR can follow regularly regularly. These nationwide and provincial mass media activities support ProCEEd's objective that knowledge, attitudes and behavior related to the environment, biodiversity and climate change in Laos will improve through better access to relevant information. Thus, rural target groups should be empowered to better mitigate and adapt to climate change and risks, and protect biodiversity and the environment in general.

ProCEEd has supported this broad scope of measures through capacity development in all relevant fields of journalistic and communication skills in close cooperation with MoNRE and other strategic partners in the mass media, government and non-government organizations. For example, Lao print and broadcasting journalists participated in a one-week advanced training on environmental journalism with a renowned German and Thai colleague in 2014. Staff from provincial and d district radio stations in Khammouane, Houaphan, Sayaboury and Bolikhamxay joined a basic training workshop on environmental radio in late 2015. As a result, LNR Khammouane and LNR Houaphan intend to start broadcasting regular environmental radio programs by April 2016. A local pilot program has been tried out with LNR Khammouane in 2014.