Case study 2: The HEAT report – Harmful Environmental Agendas and Tactics in France, Germany, and the Netherlands 3/7

The report also documents the role of foreign influence, particularly Russia-linked media and Telegram channels. These actors often repackage existing narratives and adjust them for different national audiences, using coordinated inauthentic behaviour to increase visibility. In many cases, content first shared in one country was later adapted in others with minimal changes, highlighting the cross-border nature of these campaigns.

While there was limited evidence of direct involvement from fossil fuel companies, some narratives aligned with the interests of the oil and gas sector. Messaging opposing the green transition, discrediting EU climate goals, or portraying renewable energy policies as impractical often mirrored the broader objectives of fossil fuel lobbying, whether or not the connection was explicit.