Elise Potaka was born in New Zealand, but grew up in Sydney, Australia where she made her radio debut working on an environment program at a community radio station. The desire to find ways to promote awareness of environmental issues was the initial driving force behind both her radio reporting, and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies. This quickly developed into a desire to examine the political and social complexities underpinning environmental degradation.
While her reporting has broadened into other areas since then, many of Elise’s stories continue to touch on environmental problems, seeking out political and economic motivations and finding personal stories which allow listeners to truly understand the impacts. A family connection sparked Elise’s initial interest in China, and a 6-month trip in 2005 confirmed that this was where she wanted to base herself as a media producer. At the beginning of 2007 she moved to Beijing as the correspondent for Indonesia’s Kantor Berita Radio 68H. China’s struggle to maintain economic growth whilst reining in pollution has been the basis for many of Elise’s reports and she has traveled to different parts of the country looking at the social impacts of this dynamic. From the impacts of global warming on the Tibetan Plateau, to the rebuilding of dam-affected communities in Yunnan, to the “green long march” of university students raising environmental awareness in Inner Mongolia, and, of course, the struggle to clean up Beijing for the 2008 Olympics, Elise has tried to provide listeners across Asia with information and a bridge into the lives of Chinese residents.
Elise’s series, “The Murky World of Coal Mining in China”, took her to the heart of China’s coal country, Shanxi Province. One third of the country’s coal comes from Shanxi, and the high number of coal mining accidents and deaths, as well as the fact that the province was home to three of the country’s most polluted cities, was a good impetus for making the journey.
While from the outside, there’s a tendency to see China’s environmental problems in black and white, on the ground it is never that simple. Elise’s reporting trip in Shanxi revealed that yes, coal mining is having a devastating effect on the local environment and the health of residents. Questions were raised about not only the environment’s ability to sustain this mining, but also the environmental justice of one province shouldering a large share of the burden for the entire country’s thirst for power. New apartments in modern cities like Beijing and Shanghai with energy-intensive air conditioning units were a far cry from the run-down units and farm houses in Shanxi’s working communities.
However, the trip also revealed the central and local governments’ ongoing struggle to deal with the vast number of illegal mines which account for much of the pollution and many of the accidents, the efforts the government has made to reduce pollution, and the corruption that too often undermines all this good work.
Elise spoke with a range of people from local experts to residents, like miner Xiao Huazhong, who now has “black lung disease” from working in coal mines. She looked at the promises of local officials, and what they meant to those in villages where employment is hard to come by, and pollution is increasing. She got access to a state-run coal mine and spoke with workers who told her that conditions are better than what they used to be. She also spoke to residents who were worried that a reduction in coal output, and the government closure of mines, would mean unemployment and economic hardship for family members.
The three stories in the series aired as China geared up for another winter, which would see a spike in energy consumption as the country’s citizens turned on heating units. It was also just off the back of the Beijing Olympics, and the tales of pollution and hardship were in stark contrast with the blue skies and cleaner, greener Beijing that presented itself to the world as the new face of China.
The series had significance for KBR68H’s listeners, many of whom live in the region and in countries that are also trying to balance development and environmental protection. Elise’s work from China is often the only source of news and information about China for Asia Calling listeners particularly in Afghanistan and Cambodia. In focus groups discussion listeners across the region have told us that they rely on Asia Calling and Elise’s reporting to form their ideas and opinions about their region. This coal series from Elise spark a lively debate on-air when it was heard in Indonesia about government responsibility to create clean air. Listeners were particularly interested to hear about efforts by the Chinese government to clean-up the environment as Jakartans are suffering similar health problems due to air pollution and a coal driven economy.
Reasons why the candidate merits the Award
Elise Potaka’s work in China has always sought to provide pieces in the puzzle that make up the bigger picture of China’s economic and social development, and its impacts on the environment. She has pursued stories in the public interest, wanting to promote not only awareness about environmental problems but also discussion about how to overcome them. In order to provide more indepth insight into these issues, Elise has traveled to affected regions throughout China, and sought comment from a whole spectrum of interested parties: community, business, government.
Reporting in China can sometimes be complicated, especially when dealing with sensitive topics. Given the large number of deaths associated with coal mining, and the country’s reliance on coal for power, this is one such topic. While Elise’s reporting for the series “The Murky World of Coal Mining in China” involved a certain amount of preliminary research, much of the work had to be done on the ground in Shanxi, following up leads provided by locals and traveling long distances to find people willing to speak out. It also required a certain amount of discretion, ensuring that those who provided insight into the situation would not be putting themselves at odds with local authorities and business interests wanting to minimise coverage of the issue.
Too often foreign reportage on China seeks to simplify issues, and sensationalise problems in order to attract an audience. Elise’s coverage of coal mining in Shanxi provided listeners with a chance to look beneath the surface of the coal industry in this region, at the reasons for its existence and ongoing support, to the complications involved in trying to make it cleaner and safer.
In her coverage, Elise has also aimed to understand and promote cultural awareness, working in both Chinese Mandarin and English, and acting as a medium through which those who have never been to China can begin to see the bigger picture of the country’s growth.