Climate change doesn’t happen in a vacuum and neither do the debates around it. Around the world, public opinion on environmental policies is shaped not only by facts and science, but also by emotions, political interests, and carefully constructed narratives. In recent years, disinformation has played an increasingly visible role in these conversations—pushing misleading claims, fuelling division, and often shifting attention away from real solutions.
Climate disinformation doesn’t always deny that climate change is happening. More often, it targets the response—claiming that climate action is unnecessary, dangerous, or part of a hidden agenda. These campaigns may appear spontaneous or grassroots, but many are carefully designed. Some are supported by political groups, economic interests, or online influencers seeking to benefit from public confusion and mistrust.
In 2024, the farmers’ protests across Europe became a telling case. Although many farmers raised legitimate concerns about the pace and fairness of new regulations, the protests were quickly surrounded by a wave of disinformation. A detailed report by the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) showed how false claims rapidly spread online, blaming EU climate policies for a range of issues including inflation, food insecurity, and loss of freedoms. The study highlighted how misleading narratives hijacked the public debate, often overshadowing the real concerns of farmers.
At the same time, research by the EU DisinfoLab revealed how climate-related disinformation is often adjusted to fit different national contexts. The same core messages, questioning climate policies, criticising the EU, or framing environmental action as elite-driven, were reshaped to reflect local fears and political tensions in countries like France, Germany, and the Netherlands. This ability to “localise” narratives is a key tactic that makes climate disinformation so effective.
Some of these efforts also fall under what is known as Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), activities by external actors that aim to influence democratic debate and polarise societies. While not all disinformation can be directly linked to FIMI, the patterns and techniques often align.
The danger here isn’t just in the falsehoods themselves, but in the long-term damage they cause. When people begin to doubt reliable sources or feel overwhelmed by conflicting messages, trust breaks down. That weakens public support for climate action and creates space for confusion, resentment, and delay.
That’s why understanding how these campaigns work is so important. With stronger media literacy and critical thinking, we can better identify manipulative messages, understand their purpose, and respond with clarity and confidence.
If you want to better understand how these narratives spread, and what you can do to recognise and respond to them, take a closer look at our dedicated module on the Digital Academy against Climate Disinformation.