Climate disinformation is thriving. Experts point to the culprits: Not just Russia

Climate change is accelerating, and scientists have been repeating for years that immediate and decisive action is necessary to avoid the worst-case scenarios of the climate crisis. And although the consequences of climate change affect everyone, there are groups that are manipulating the narrative to delay climate action. According to experts, these are primarily representatives of the oil industry, conservative politicians, and countries like Russia.

Climate Disinformation: Russia, the Right, and Oil Companies

According to the latest findings from scientists at the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE), the main culprits include fossil fuel companies, right-wing politicians, and certain countries, led by Russia. By denying scientifically proven facts about climate change and sowing public doubts about proposed solutions, these actors seek to instill distrust in governments and delay the implementation of necessary climate action. The study analyzed 300 studies on climate disinformation from the last decade.

The researchers identified US President Donald Trump as a "key influencer" of climate disinformation, emphasizing that his "logical fallacies, baseless claims, and selective treatment of findings were massively retweeted by other users." They also found that nearly one in four posts on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement was generated by bot accounts. The researchers also noted that last year, among the members of the US Congress who denied climate change, all represented the Republican Party. Only 14% of their voters reported feeling threatened by the climate crisis.

Among the parties that intensively promote disinformation content, the researchers also identified the Spanish party Vox and the German AfD.