Mastodawn

CelloMom On Cars Jun 19, 2025

"False claims obstructing climate action, say researchers, amid calls for climate lies to be criminalised.

The #misinformation ranges from industry promoting fossil gas as a “low-carbon fuel” to bizarre conspiracy theories such as that wildfires in southern California this year were planned by officials in order to destroy child-trafficking tunnels."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/19/climate-misinformation-turning-crisis-into-catastrophe-ipie-report
#climatechange #disinformation #ClimateChange

Climate misinformation turning crisis into catastrophe, report says

False claims obstructing climate action, say researchers, amid calls for climate lies to be criminalised

The Guardian

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CelloMom On Cars Jun 24, 2025

"New strains of #misinformation about climate change are spreading, meant to slow the growth of renewable energy needed to fix the problem.

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

Delay tactics can be considered the “new denial,” the report notes."

https://www.theverge.com/news/691183/climate-change-misinformation-synthesis-report-renewable-energy-solutions
#Disinformation #ClimateDenial

The new lies spreading about climate change

Climate misinformation campaigns have shifted tactics, a comprehensive new analysis shows.

The Verge

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CelloMom On Cars Jul 6, 2025

Who’s afraid of the electric car? The Narrative War Delaying Climate Action in Europe

"Report reveals that climate disinformation on transport is not the result of isolated falsehoods or outright denial of climate change, but rather a complex and adaptive phenomenon deeply rooted in local political, economic, and cultural realities. It thrives not on the outright rejection of science, but on strategic doubt, distortion, and emotional appeal."

https://science.feedback.org/whos-afraid-of-the-electric-car-the-narrative-war-delaying-climate-action-in-europe/

Who’s afraid of the electric car? The Narrative War Delaying Climate Action in Europe - Science Feedback

A joint report by Science Feedback and Newtral reveals that climate disinformation on transport is not the result of isolated falsehoods or outright denial of climate change, but rather a complex and adaptive phenomenon deeply rooted in local political, economic, and cultural realities. It thrives not on the outright rejection…

Science Feedback

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CelloMom On Cars Jul 9, 2025

"Our study found that the human response to the climate crisis is being obstructed and delayed by the production and circulation of misleading information.

We found that this is being done by powerful economic and political interests, such as fossil fuel companies, populist political parties, and some nation states."

https://theconversation.com/can-you-trust-climate-information-how-and-why-powerful-players-are-misleading-the-public-260251

Can you trust climate information? How and why powerful players are misleading the public

Powerful corporations, governments and political parties intentionally spread false information about climate change to avoid ending greenhouse gas emissions.

The Conversation

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CelloMom On Cars Jul 14, 2025

US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:
“The fossil fuel industry has run the biggest and most malevolent propaganda operation the country has ever seen. It is defending a $700-plus billion [annual] subsidy” of not being charged for the health and environmental damages caused by burning fossil fuels. “I think the more people understand that, the more they’ll be irate [that] they’ve been lied to.” But, he added, “Democrats have not done a good job of calling that out.”

https://www.thenation.com/article/environment/has-the-climate-movement-been-too-polite-this-senator-thinks-so/#

Has the Climate Movement Been Too Polite? This Senator Thinks So.

US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse called on Democrats to stop enabling the fossil fuel industry's "malevolent propaganda operation."

The Nation

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CelloMom On Cars Jul 14, 2025

"Whitehouse [has shifted] from talking about the “facts of climate science and the effects on human beings to calling out the fossil fuels’ massive climate-denial operation”.

He said: “Turns out, none of [the science] really matters while the operation is controlling things in Congress. I could take facts from colleagues’ home states right to them, and it would make no difference because of this enormous, multibillion-dollar political club that can [punish] anyone who crosses them.” "

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CelloMom On Cars

About time!

"The COP30 Presidency has called on governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector to submit concrete initiatives that promote information integrity in addressing climate change disinformation.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for strengthening action against “coordinated disinformation campaigns impeding global progress on climate change, ranging from outright denial to greenwashing to harassment of climate scientists.”"

https://earth.org/cop30-presidency-calls-for-initiatives-to-promote-information-integrity-amid-rampant-climate-disinformation/

COP30 Launches Call to Combat Climate Disinformation

In the face of rampant climate denialism and disinformation, the COP30 presidency is crowdsourcing concrete solutions to address them.

Earth.Org

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CelloMom On Cars Jul 31, 2025

Extreme Weather Events are the New Frontline of Online Climate Denial – Report

"Climate science deniers are flooding social media with false claims during extreme weather events, drowning out reliable information and putting lives at risk.

Social media posts by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones received 408 million views – more than emergency services and mainstream media combined."

https://www.desmog.com/2025/07/22/extreme-weather-events-are-the-new-frontline-of-online-climate-denial-report/

Extreme Weather Events are the New Frontline of Online Climate Denial – Report

Climate science deniers are flooding social media with false claims during extreme weather events, drowning out reliable information and putting lives at risk. A new report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which researches and campaigns against online hatred and disinformation, finds that anti-climate figures are increasingly spreading false information about wildfires and hurricanes […]

DeSmog

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CelloMom On Cars Aug 4, 2025

Pseudo-realities, pseudo-events

"The goal of campaigns like these [is not] to convince everyone, everywhere, forever. Instead, these efforts seek to flood society’s information channels with alternate visions of how the world might be.

The resultant mixture of true belief, skepticism, and confusion creates doubt that the truth can ever really be known. Such doubt helps prevent the emergence of public consensus and stalls momentum for accountability and change."

https://www.desmog.com/2025/07/31/world-economic-forum-edelman-oil-and-gaslighting-how-trump-and-corporations-manufacture-self-serving-pseudo-realities/

Oil and Gaslighting: How Trump and Corporations Manufacture Self-Serving ‘Pseudo-Realities’

Like MAGA, major fossil fuel polluters and their PR enablers evade accountability by spinning the world they want you to see. 

DeSmog

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CelloMom On Cars Aug 8, 2025

The baseless claim of a "lack of public support" is one of the more subtle kinds of climate misinformation and also one of the most consequential.

"New research [from] Oxford finds that policymakers, politicians and other policy officials greatly underestimate the public’s willingness to contribute to climate action.

The findings come after recent clamours for a reset on climate policies from leading political figures due to a claimed lack of public support."

https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/news/policymakers-underestimate-support-for-climate-action

Policymakers underestimate public support for climate action, Oxford…

New research by University of Oxford researchers from the Institute of New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, Saïd Business School and Smith…

Oxford Martin School

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CelloMom On Cars Sep 11, 2025

Climate denial is a fully international endeavour.

"Nigel Farage’s Reform Party is being advised by a think tank which denies the science of climate change and claims the U.K. government wants to use electric vehicles to control its citizens."

https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-britain-nigel-farage-reform-uk-heartland-institute-climate-skepticism/

The Trump-aligned climate skeptics advising Britain’s Nigel Farage

The U.K. boss of the Heartland Institute said she had been influencing Reform UK “at the highest level.”

POLITICO

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CelloMom On Cars Oct 5

"In many Latino communities, Facebook, WhatsApp, and viral message chains have amplified falsehoods that weaken trust in science and hinder public responses to extreme events.

Isabel Rubio, journalist and fact-checking expert at Factchequeado, has closely monitored false narratives about climate change circulating in Spanish. She warns about their ability to confuse, demobilize, and endanger already vulnerable populations."

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/10/inside-the-viral-lies-that-spread-climate-confusion/

Inside the viral lies that spread climate confusion

False WhatsApp chains and political sound bites aren’t just nonsense – they’re putting Latino communities in danger during floods, fires, and storms.

Yale Climate Connections

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CelloMom On Cars Oct 9

"Our analysis shows that since 2021, more Americans are shifting their news consumption away from TV and toward online sources, especially social media.

Misinformation efforts are well-funded, but there are ways to combat misinformation online, such as by “pre-bunking,” i.e. providing correct information in advance. Thus it is critically important that climate communicators ensure that evidence-based climate information is widely available online."

https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/top-news-sources/

What are the top sources of news for Global Warming’s Six Americas?

19% of Americans say social media is their most important news source. Out of the Six Americas, the Concerned have changed the most in their top news source from 2021 to 2025.

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

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CelloMom On Cars Nov 4

"UN climate summits have been a major focus of fossil fuel companies looking to delay the energy transition. Last year, one analysis said more than 1,770 fossil fuel lobbyists were granted access to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan — outnumbering all but three country delegations.

The Brazil-led Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change will, for the first time at any UN climate summit, be part of the official COP30 agenda."

https://www.dw.com/en/push-to-counter-disinformation-at-cop30-climate-summit/a-74539051

Push to counter disinformation at COP30 climate summit

As a majority of global citizens call for bold climate change action, a new push for information integrity aims to neutralize the climate denial that has thwarted ambitious action.

Deutsche Welle

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CelloMom On Cars Nov 4

"Meanwhile, the Climate Action Against Disinformation coalition (CAAD), a global climate watchdog, is asking media and Big Tech to screen "harmful false content" about the climate for their audiences, and to be transparent about the source of any disinformation to ensure "transparency and accountability," noted Philip Newell, CAAD's communications co-chair."

https://www.dw.com/en/push-to-counter-disinformation-at-cop30-climate-summit/a-74539051

Push to counter disinformation at COP30 climate summit

As a majority of global citizens call for bold climate change action, a new push for information integrity aims to neutralize the climate denial that has thwarted ambitious action.

Deutsche Welle

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CelloMom On Cars Nov 14

"On Wednesday, the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change launched its Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change at the Belem summit. It is the first time states have formally committed to information integrity and fighting back against climate disinformation.

Nations signing the declaration commit to tackling false and misleading information about climate change."

https://www.euronews.com/green/2025/11/13/cop-of-truth-countries-commit-to-tackling-climate-disinformation-at-un-climate-summit

Countries commit to tackling climate disinformation at COP30

It is the first time states have formally committed to information integrity and fighting back against climate disinformation.

euronews

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CelloMom On Cars Nov 14

This could be HUGE
But it all depends on the implementation.

"There are six commitments in total, including ensuring climate information is accurate while protecting free speech, supporting independent media to report accurately on environmental issues, making evidence-based information accessible to everyone and building capacity to identify threats to information integrity."

https://www.euronews.com/green/2025/11/13/cop-of-truth-countries-commit-to-tackling-climate-disinformation-at-un-climate-summit

Countries commit to tackling climate disinformation at COP30

It is the first time states have formally committed to information integrity and fighting back against climate disinformation.

euronews

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CelloMom On Cars Nov 14

As an aside: Omission, or non-coverage, is a kind of misinformation.

"Thousands of media professionals are at the United Nations climate talks in Brazil. Almost none of them appear to be from the four major US broadcasters – CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox"

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/13/cop30-climate-talks-belem-us-broadcasters.

Major US broadcasters sit out Cop30 climate talks: ‘They’re missing a lot’

Figures show none of US ‘big four’ – CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox – appear to have sent teams to cover summit in Belém

The Guardian

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CelloMom On Cars Nov 18

"What stifles effective action is a deadly conjunction: the climate crisis running headlong into the epistemic crisis.

We face, alongside a global threat to our life-support systems, a global threat to our knowledge-support systems.

Preventing climate breakdown means protecting ourselves from the storm of lies."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/14/climate-crisis-communication-super-rich

Dark forces are preventing us fighting the climate crisis – by taking knowledge hostage

The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

The Guardian

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CelloMom On Cars Dec 8

"A growing body of research is warning that climate misinformation is steadily growing, amplified by social media.

The strategy is not subtle, a recent study found. Climate skeptics present their position as “projecting rationality, authority, and masculine self-control” while those who acknowledge global warming “are depicted through emotionally charged, feminized, and irrational imagery,” and labeled “alarmists” who propose radical solutions."

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/climate/climate-change-disinformation.html

Many Fighting Climate Change Worry They Are Losing the Information War

Shifting politics, intensive lobbying and surging disinformation online have undermined international efforts to respond to the threat.

The New York Times

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CelloMom On Cars Dec 12

"First-of-its-kind analysis of hundreds of climate-related advertisements from BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell suggests that oil companies are continuing to mislead the public on climate.

These ads collectively serve to mask the harmful impacts of the companies’ operations and to perpetuate a false narrative that the oil industry is an essential partner in the fight against climate change, the Center for Climate Integrity found."

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/11122025/big-oil-deceptive-climate-ads-false-solutions/
#ClimateDisinformation

Big Oil’s Climate Ads Have Propped Up Fake Promises and False Solutions for Past 25 Years, Report Finds - Inside Climate News

First-of-its-kind analysis of hundreds of climate-related advertisements from BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell suggests that oil companies are continuing to mislead the public on climate.

Inside Climate News

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CelloMom On Cars Dec 22

Climate misinformation is becoming a national security threat.

"Canada is entering an era where climate misinformation is becoming a public-safety threat. As wildfires, floods and droughts grow more frequent, emergency systems rely on one fragile assumption: that people believe the information they receive. When that assumption fails, the entire chain of crisis communication begins to break down. We are already seeing early signs of that failure."

https://theconversation.com/climate-misinformation-is-becoming-a-national-security-threat-canada-isnt-ready-for-it-271588

Climate misinformation is becoming a national security threat. Canada isn’t ready for it

Climate misinformation is undermining emergency response during crises. Canadian governments need to develop co-ordinated efforts to tackle it.

The Conversation

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CelloMom On Cars Dec 23

"Climate action threatens the profits of the fossil-fuel industry, and they've spent the past 50 years doing everything they can to prevent it.

While the industry has used many tools in this endeavor, perhaps its most effective has been its propaganda machine.

We need to remove the root of the fossil-fuel industry's economic and cultural power. Within our current economic system, this means redirecting financial flows away from it by removing fossil-fuel subsidies."

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-fossil-fuel-propaganda-stalling-climate.html

Fossil-fuel propaganda is stalling climate action; here's what we can do about it

2025 has been a year of setbacks for Canada's climate policy. In November, the federal and Alberta governments signed a memorandum of understanding to remove strict climate policies in the province and to support the construction of a new pipeline from Alberta to northern British Columbia.

Phys.org

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CelloMom On Cars Dec 27

RE: https://mas.to/@kissane/115771219606234540

Do you know how a toilet works? from whom did you learn?

Our knowledge and information landscape is moving beneath our feet, says @kissane in this must-read essay.

How do we know what we know?
(Even more importantly: how do we know that we *don't* know?)

How do we know whether or not we can trust the information that comes at us, among overload, misinformation, and deliberate disinformation?

How do we make knowledge not only robust, but durable?

https://mastodon.social/@[email protected]o/115771219694602315

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CelloMom On Cars Dec 27

From denial to delay

We analysed 73,000 articles and found the UK media is divorcing ‘climate change’ from net zero

"Net zero risks being reframed – no longer the solution to stopping climate change, but part of a green culture war.”

“Response scepticism”:
denial of climate science has largely disappeared from opinion pieces and editorials, but criticism of the policies required to tackle climate change is pervasive."

https://theconversation.com/we-analysed-73-000-articles-and-found-the-uk-media-is-divorcing-climate-change-from-net-zero-272527

We analysed 73,000 articles and found the UK media is divorcing ‘climate change’ from net zero

Articles on net zero used to always explain the scientific background. But not anymore.

The Conversation

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CelloMom On Cars Dec 30

We need more news media that is not trying to make money.

"Even when the media does cover climate change, stories must navigate an algorithm-driven information ecosystem that filters news through partisan biases and amplifies disinformation before it ever reaches readers.

That ecosystem rewards Trump's stream of provocative statements — what reporters call a "fire hose of attention" strategy — frequently drowning out climate coverage."

https://amp.dw.com/en/climate-coverage-shrinks-amid-trumps-clean-energy-misinformation/a-75026829

Climate coverage shrinks amid Trump's clean energy misinfo

A strong majority of Americans say they're worried about the climate. So why do they hear so little about it in the news?

Deutsche Welle

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CelloMom On Cars Jan 15

Spain:

"In a letter sent to hate crimes prosecutors, [Spain’s environment minister] Sara Aagesen said a number of recent reports examined by the ministry had detected a “significant increase” in the hostile language that climate experts are subjected to on digital platforms.

Aagesen said she was drawing the matter to prosecutors’ attention because of the “socially important role that these professionals play in the fight against climate disinformation”."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/15/spain-climate-scientists-subjected-alarming-rise-hate-speech-minister-warns