Rampant climate disinformation online is distorting dangers and delays climate action
This article was authored by a 3rd party not related to PlanetVoters.com and any opinions or views expressed are not a reflection of PlanetVoters.com.
May 16, 2022
Time is slipping away from us. There is no doubt the world must act now to avoid catastrophic ecological collapse. But climate action is being undermined by bad actors seeking to deflect, distract, and deny efforts to save the planet. Disinformation, spread via social media, is their weapon of choice.
Recent floods, droughts, wildfires and heat waves have made it harder deny the existence of climate change outright. So peddlers of climate disinformation have turned to other methods to delay efforts to decarbonize the global economy. And their tactics are growing increasingly sophisticated.
One recent example saw several climate scientists say they were tricked into taking part in online conferences hosted by a group that denies human activity is to blame for climate change. Offering “the truth,” the group describes the climate crisis as the “CO2 fraud” and the “scam of the century.”
The group, which reportedly has links to conspiracists, engages high-profile speakers to address its events. Some guests later told the BBC their words had been manipulated, taken out of context, or that they hadn’t been made aware of the group’s views. The organization denies any wrongdoing.
These underhand tactics are by no means unique. Those with a vested interest in keeping us hooked on fossil fuels are spending huge sums on think tanks and influencer campaigns to sow doubt about climate science, spreading everything from distorted stories to conspiracy theories and outright lies.
Analysis by our partner, First Draft News, shows that climate disinformation is being shared widely on a range of platforms. From vicious attacks on activists, to divisive content intended to confuse and deflect attention, campaigns all seek the same outcome: a deadly delay in climate action.
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