The war on truth: how climate disinformation threatens global action

The growing scientific consensus on climate change faces a significant challenge from the deliberate spread of climate disinformation. Much like the anti-vaccine movement during the COVID-19 pandemic, climate denialism is being driven by well-funded networks of foreign actors, fossil fuel interests, and political ideologies. 

Their goal is to sow confusion, stall policy action, and protect economic and geopolitical interests that benefit from maintaining the status quo. Foreign influence operations play a key role in altering the scientific narratives on climate change, often disguising disinformation as grassroots scepticism or economic concerns. 

The social media space in Nigeria and across the continent has become a target of these tactics. A post shared on X, which falsely claimed that poor countries are not harmed by climate change and that climate issues are being used as an excuse for debt relief, is symbolic of such skewed concerns.

The post which has now been debunked despite claiming “no poor country has been harmed by ‘climate change”, further concluded that “these scoundrels aim to use the climate hoax as an excuse to get out of debt repayment, leaving US taxpayers on the hook.”

At COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, over 190 countries agreed to establish the loss and damage fund to support developing nations most affected by climate change. This fund, which is part of a broader financial framework, draws resources from donor contributions, insurance, oil and gas taxes, and debt relief. Its creation reinforces the reality that climate change disproportionately impacts poorer countries, countering claims that they are unaffected.

Evidence shows that developing nations are the most affected by climate change despite being the least responsible for the challenge.  

As Africa grapples with worsening droughts and food insecurity, foreign-backed narratives manipulate public perception by portraying climate action as a Western ploy to stifle industrialisation, questioning renewable energy’s feasibility, and amplifying fossil fuel dependence.

State-backed foreign actors and major oil corporations actively fund and spread disinformation to manipulate climate discourse, aligning narratives with their economic interests and delaying the global transition to clean energy.

Unlike traditional climate denialism, which outrightly rejects scientific evidence, modern climate disinformation is more strategic. It weaponises scientific uncertainty, economic fears, and nationalist rhetoric to obstruct climate policies. These actors exploit vulnerable information ecosystems through media influence, political lobbying, and digital manipulation to maintain fossil fuel reliance. Understanding climate disinformation as a tool of foreign influence is essential — it is not just an ideological battle but a calculated effort to shape Africa’s energy future.

History repeats as climate disinformation mirrors COVID-19 falsehoods

The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated how disinformation on social media can have devastating consequences. This was evident in how anti-vaccine influencers capitalised on public fears,  spreading conspiracy theories that fueled vaccine hesitancy and led to unnecessary deaths. The falsehoods ranged from claims that COVID-19 was a hoax to exaggerated reports of vaccine side effects.

The same tactics are now being deployed against climate science. Disinformation campaigns frame climate action as an overreach of government control, equate environmentalism with radicalism, and weaponise scientific uncertainty to cast doubt on established facts. 

However, unlike COVID-19, for which a vaccine helped curb the crisis, no single solution can reverse climate change. As climate scientists have outlined, without urgent action, climate-related damage could reach irreversible tipping points.

The evidence is overwhelming, yet denial persists

The scientific consensus is clear. Climate change is real, driven by human activity, and accelerating at an alarming pace. The year 2024 was recorded as the warmest in history. Snowfall, once a hallmark of Christmas celebrations, is increasingly rare. Meanwhile, wildfires in California and Australia, along with heatwaves in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, serve as dire warnings of a planet in peril.

How, then, can climate denial persist in the face of such evidence? The answer lies in a well-coordinated ecosystem of fossil fuel lobbyists, far-right political figures, and online influencers who are financially incentivised to manufacture doubt. 

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Risks Report, disinformation — especially around climate change — is a top threat to global stability. Extreme weather events are currently the second-biggest short-term threat. However, looking ahead over the next 10 years, the most serious risks are all environmental. These include extreme weather, the collapse of ecosystems, significant disruptions to the Earth’s natural systems, and shortages of essential resources.

The influence of foreign actors and fossil fuel interests

Disinformation is not emerging in isolation. It is a deliberate strategy employed by vested interests to maintain fossil fuel dependence. A recent investigation revealed that half of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 came from just 36 companies, including ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, BP, and TotalEnergies. These corporations have resisted climate policies while funding think tanks and media outlets to propagate misleading narratives.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) which held in February in Maryland, discussions ranged from economic policies to social issues, but one recurring theme was climate change denial. The annual gathering of conservative activists and leaders from the United States and around the world had figures such as Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Steve Bannon openly dismiss climate science, ridiculing policies aimed at emission reduction. 

Similarly, in February, at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in London, prominent climate denier Jordan Peterson rejected concerns about carbon emissions. He misleadingly suggested that more atmospheric carbon would benefit plant growth.

Jordan Peterson, founder of ARC, has grown increasingly influential, pushing dangerous climate denial narratives. At the conference, he declared, “It’s time to stop our obsession with carbon altogether,” falsely arguing that higher carbon levels benefit plant growth rather than fueling climate disaster. He further dismissed scientific concerns, stating, “No more carbon apocalypse mongering and terrorising,” portraying himself as a victim of climate advocacy.

Meanwhile, Russian-backed media outlets and influencers have been caught red-handed in orchestrating disinformation campaigns. In September 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted two employees of RT – formerly Russia Today – for paying $10 million to Tenet Media, which used social media influencers to spread climate misinformation in North America. 

An investigation by Climate Action Against Disinformation into Tenet Media-linked accounts uncovered the vast reach of Russian-backed climate misinformation. Russia is the world’s fourth-largest emitter, warming four times faster than the Earth. However, its government claims that Russia benefits from climate change and global dependence on fossil fuels — a stance contradicted by scientists.

Between September 2023 and September 2024, these Russian-backed influencers with over 16 million followers, posted 183 times and generated more than 23 million views and a million shares. Their content actively discredited climate activists, rejected shifts toward sustainable living — such as eating less meat — and amplified conspiracy theories, including the baseless claim that Bill Gates seeks to replace traditional farming with lab-grown meat and insect-based diets. While these influencers deny awareness of Russian ties, reports indicate they were strategically recruited for their conservative audience. This pattern of misinformation, fueled by politicians and profit-driven influencers, continues to obstruct meaningful climate action on a global scale.

Africa’s climate disinformation challenge

The battle against climate disinformation is especially critical in Africa, where climate change is already intensifying floods and food insecurity. Yet, voices like Kenyan farmer, Jusper Machogu, have gained influence by rejecting climate science and promoting fossil fuel expansion. His campaign, backed by foreign donors with ties to the oil industry, underscores the geopolitical stakes in the climate debate.

Joyce Kimutai, a climate expert, warns that Machogu’s misinformation could spread rapidly, particularly in regions with low climate literacy. As Africa faces worsening climate crises, the foreign support behind his campaign raises concerns about hidden agendas that could stall vital climate action and jeopardise global emissions targets.

The role of social media in spreading disinformation

Social media platforms are amplifiers of climate disinformation. A report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that just ten publishers are responsible for 69% of all climate denial content on Facebook. Algorithmic bias ensures that misleading narratives spread faster than factual information.

Moreover, artificial intelligence and bot networks are supercharging these efforts. In 2021, a study found that automated bots were systematically hijacking online discussions on climate change, flooding conversations with denialist rhetoric. These efforts are not random; they are deliberate attempts to distort public perception and delay policy interventions.

How greenwashing fuels the spread of climate misinformation

Greenwashing occurs when corporations falsely claim to be environmentally responsible without backing up their claims with evidence.

This deceptive tactic has emerged alongside climate denialism. Oil giants claim to support sustainability while continuing harmful practices. These include expanding fossil fuel production and lobbying against climate policies. It misleads consumers and undermines the urgency of addressing the climate crisis.

Combating climate disinformation through education

With climate change accelerating and misinformation running rampant, countering disinformation must be a priority. The first step is acknowledging that climate anxiety is real. People are scared, overwhelmed, and unsure of who to trust. This makes them vulnerable to disinformation.

To combat this, journalists in Nigeria must be trained in climate reporting and fact-checking, particularly on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook where misinformation spreads rapidly. The public needs clear, evidence-based reporting that dismantles falsehoods and highlights solutions. Additionally, social media companies must be held accountable for allowing disinformation to thrive on their platforms.

Governments should prioritise digital policy reforms, enhance media literacy initiatives, and collaborate with independent fact-checkers to effectively combat climate disinformation. Furthermore, regulators must take swift and decisive action against disinformation networks. The same level of urgency applied to addressing COVID-19 misinformation should be applied to climate denialism. Without such efforts, the consequences could be catastrophic.

The time to act is now

The effects of climate change are already visible, with rising temperatures and extreme weather events intensifying globally. The science is unequivocal: to keep global warming within the 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement, we must cut emissions by 45% this decade. Every moment wasted on disinformation is a step closer to climate catastrophe.

Foreign influence operations, corporate lobbyists, and ideological interest groups strategically spread climate misinformation to deny climate policies. But we cannot afford to let them succeed. Unlike COVID-19, there will be no vaccine to fix the damage once the tipping point is crossed.

So we must ask ourselves: Will we allow misinformation to dictate the fate of our planet? Or will we rise to the challenge, armed with truth, science, and collective action?

The answer will determine the world we leave for future generations.

Olagunju, who writes from Lagos, is the editor at CheckClimate Africa