Case study 1: Disinformation narratives and the 2024 European farmers’ protests 2/5

Key narratives

Among the disinformation narratives identified, several stood out for their focus on climate-related topics. One prominent narrative claimed that climate policies were a form of social control, especially regarding food. Posts spread the idea that the EU was promoting lab-grown meat and insects to replace traditional food, or even banning home-grown produce. Another frequently encountered narrative framed environmental regulations as a direct threat to farmers’ livelihoods, suggesting that EU policies aimed to shut down farms or reduce crop yields for the sake of climate targets.

A third narrative focused on weather manipulation, reviving conspiracy theories about chemtrails and geoengineering. These claims suggested that droughts and other extreme weather events were artificially induced to justify harsh climate laws. Lastly, the European Green Deal was portrayed as an ideological project designed to destroy local agriculture, often framed as a battle between “common-sense farmers” and “out-of-touch bureaucrats in Brussels.” While these narratives varied by country, their core objective was consistent: to erode public trust in climate action.