Misinformation and Climate Change: A New Strategy

New strains of misinformation about climate change are spreading, aimed at hindering the growth of renewable energy solutions necessary to address the issue.

Rather than outright denying the mountains of evidence that demonstrate human contributions to climate change, recent narratives seek to mislead the public by casting doubt on viable solutions. Renewable energy has begun to take off as a more sustainable alternative to coal, oil, and gas. Fossil fuel industry leaders and their allies—perhaps sensing a shift in public opinion—have resorted to more subtle tactics to maintain their market presence and obstruct competition.

One of the most comprehensive analyses of this phenomenon was recently published by the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE). The report states, “What emerges is a picture of strategic disruption—carefully designed to appear moderate, reasonable, and data-driven, while quietly obstructing action,” according to IPIE’s summary for policymakers.

“Strategic disruption—carefully designed to appear moderate, reasonable, and data-driven, while quietly obstructing action.”

Delay tactics have been identified as the “new denial,” as noted by the report. These tactics may manifest as misleading claims regarding the environmental impact of renewable energy or falsely blaming power outages on renewables. Importantly, misinformation is not limited to social media trolls; it can originate from high-ranking officials. The report highlights former President Donald Trump, whose campaign accepted $74 million received significant contributions from oil and gas interests, as a “key influencer” in the realm of climate misinformation.

During his first term, Trump was already calling climate change a “hoax” regarding climate issues and has recently focused on stopping any new windmills related to renewable energy projects in the United States. Since his inauguration this year, he has made efforts to reverse the progress made under his predecessor’s commitment to reach 100 percent carbon-pollution free electricity in the U.S. He has described wind farms as “bird cemeter[ies],” despite evidence that they are far less deadly to birds in the US than collisions with buildings or vehicles. The former president has also been known to repeat misinformation inaccurately linking whale deaths to offshore wind turbines without any evidence.

While there are valid concerns concerning the deployment of renewable energy and the sourcing of materials for solar panels and turbines, as well as measures to mitigate the environmental impact of mining and infrastructure development, it is crucial to recognize that elements of truth can be exaggerated or distorted into falsehoods.

“We are dealing with an information environment that has been deliberately distorted,” stated Klaus Bruhn Jensen, a professor at the University of Copenhagen and chair of IPIE’s Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science, during a June 20 press release. “When corporations, governments, and media platforms obscure climate realities, the result is paralysis.”

The IPIE report synthesizes findings from 300 studies conducted over the past decade on climate misinformation. However, it is important to note that the report was limited to papers published in English, highlighting a significant gap in research investment outside affluent Western nations.