Climate disinformation is the intentional dissemination of false information related to climate change and climate action. It can take many forms, from hard denial and conspiracy theories to softer, more insidious disinformation that seeks to muddy the waters by claiming that climate change is not man-made or as bad as scientists are saying and therefore requires no urgent action.
Climate disinformation threatens to:
- Undermine trust in science
- Weaken public support for climate action
- Hinder policy implementation and international cooperation on climate change
- Undermine democracy
In March 2024, the Commission adopted the Communication on Managing climate risks, in which we commit to combat climate disinformation.
Resources and tools to counter climate disinformation
European Commission resources:
- The Climate Pact Toolkit on how to talk to people about climate action and other resources for countering climate disinformation
External resources:
- How to deal with climate disinformation: booklets on how to identify conspiracies and how to talk with people who believe in them
- Myth Busters – the facts on climate and energy: a webpage by the United Nations
- Protect the future: a project involving NATO officials and young content creators on challenges such as climate change, disinformation and cybersecurity.
The Climate Pact Toolkit: How to talk to people about climate action
This toolkit helps you explain and communicate climate action to your community.
What can you do to stop climate disinformation?
Tips from Climate Pact Ambassadors:
- Report disinformation when you see it – many social media platforms have a function to report posts
- Don’t engage with disinformation posts on social media as this will only amplify the message and give it more attention
- Help to spread correct information through your channels and networks, online and offline
- Be aware of your own biases and get your information from diverse sources for a balanced perspective
What is the European Commission doing to counter disinformation?
The European Commission’s approach to tackling climate disinformation is included in the general policy on disinformation, centred around:
- Developing policies to strengthen our democracies, make it more difficult for disinformation actors to misuse online platforms, and protect journalists and media pluralism
- Raising awareness about disinformation and our preparedness and response
- Building societal resilience against disinformation through media literacy and fact-checking
- Cooperating with other institutions, national authorities or third parties
Resources to counter disinformation
- Strategic communication and tackling disinformation: a page explaining the Commission’s strategy for responding to disinformation, equipped with links, videos and other resources
- Video to raise awareness on the risks of disinformation ahead of the European elections
- Toolkit on how to spot and fight disinformation for secondary school teachers to provide students with vital online navigation skills
- Guidelines for Teachers on Tackling Disinformation: a set of guidelines for primary and secondary school teachers on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy.
- How disinformation works: a series of videos by the European Parliament
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