Thread by @ISDglobal

Today at #BonnClimateConference, we release our landmark report analysing climate mis- and disinformation at #COP26 and beyond, and the repercussions denial and delayism are having on climate action around the world. isdglobal.org/isd-publicatio…

For the first time in 2022, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change @IPCC_CH recognised that “economic and political interests” have driven “public misperception of climate risks and polarised public support for climate actions”.

@IPCC_CH In this 100+ page report, produced with CASM Technology and the Climate Action Against Disinformation coalition (CAAD), we document the mainstreaming of mis-/disinformation around climate change and related policies across the online space.

@IPCC_CH Our analysis shows how a small but dedicated community of actors generate large amounts of engagement across social media, how rhetoric is shifting from denialism to ‘culture wars’ discourse, and how tech platforms continue to amplify the problem.

@IPCC_CH As these narratives infiltrate public debate, stances on climate actions are rolled into broader individual identity and grievance politics, emerging as a new front in the culture wars. isdglobal.org/isd-publicatio…

@IPCC_CH We recently saw how COVID-19 sparked the ‘climate lockdown’ conspiracy, claiming that the pandemic was a test-bed for future “green tyranny” and would be used to broaden elites’ powers over society. isdglobal.org/digital_dispat…

@IPCC_CH Other divisive issues like critical race theory, LGBTQ+ rights and abortion access are regularly conflated with climate change to deter timely action.

@IPCC_CH We have seen the increasing prominence and impact of ‘discourses of delay’, intended to downplay the issue or condemn any action as unfeasible, overly expensive and disruptive.

@IPCC_CH During COP26, the most prominent discourse was the narrative around ‘elitism or hypocrisy’. In total, ISD identified 199,676 mentions of this narrative on Twitter and 4,377 posts on Facebook that were shared a total of 101,749 times between 10 Oct. and 19 Nov. 2021.

@IPCC_CH Content in this category highlighted alleged double standards or hypocrisy for delegates (e.g. air travel to the summit) and, in some cases, referenced wider conspiracies around globalism or the ‘New World Order’.

@IPCC_CH Looking ahead, we have outlined recommendations for governments, multilateral bodies, tech platforms and the media—which all have a role to play tackling climate mis- and disinformation.

@IPCC_CH ISD urges for a unified definition of climate disinformation be set within key institutions, and in turn have this definition reflected in tech community standards or terms of service.

@IPCC_CH Furthermore, policymakers should stop media loopholes in proposed and existing legislation in order to better protect citizens online (e.g. the EU Digital Services Act, UK Online Safety Bill, US Digital Services Oversight and Safety Act and others).

@IPCC_CH Regulators and tech companies should enforce platform policies against repeat offenders and work to improve transparency and data access for vetted researchers and regulators.

@IPCC_CH To read more about our recommendations and findings, check out the full report linked above. For an executive summary of the report, please click here: isdglobal.org/isd-publicatio…

This graphic was originally produced in the study “Discourses of climate delay”, published in 2020. All credit for this image and the typology of climate delay discourses goes to that study’s authors. cambridge.org/core/journals/…