How have climate disinformation tactics evolved in the last decades? What are the narratives that have been pushed to delay climate solutions? What are effective ways to rebuild public trust and political support towards climate policies? These and many other questions were addressed during our climate disinformation workshop, which took place on Thursday 27h February at Oxfam Novib, the Hague.

The new Denial

In recent years, with the growing evidence of global warming, climate disinformation has shifted from outright denial to more sophisticated narratives that delay and obstruct climate action, climate science, and question the effectiveness of climate solutions.

These narratives can be grouped in four key categories: delayism, deflection, division, and doomism.

Delayism seeks to postpone climate action by portraying fossil fuels as essential for meeting energy needs while promoting unproven technologies as ultimate solutions for reducing harmful emissions.
Deflection minimizes the role of fossil fuels in climate change, shifting the focus to individual responsibility.
Division seeks to weaken climate activism by fostering internal conflicts and discrediting activists to diminish public support.
Doomism promotes the idea that climate catastrophe is inevitable, discouraging meaningful action.

Climate denial and climate delay are not new phenomena. Since the 1970 industrial interests have driven misinformation efforts. Today, the movement has broadened and decentralised, these efforts have decentralized, tapping into broader narratives of institutional mistrust and skepticism towards global governance (see Picture 1).

Another narrative that focuses on undermining climate actions is the so-called ‘Absolutionism’. The central point of this strategy is to shed light on the slow progress of foreign states to justify location inaction and undermine efforts to reduce carbon emissions (Picture 2).

A Growing Momentum for Climate Action

Research shows that most of us consistently underestimate how widespread support for climate action is. This misconception can lead to feelings of hopelessness and inaction. However, despite disinformation tactics, public support for climate action remains widespread. According to recent data, the majority of people globally view climate change as a serious threat, and even in the country with the lowest agreement, 73% of people acknowledge human-driven climate change.

Sustainability as a form of control

A key strategy in "The New Denial" framework involves attacking climate solutions by fueling conspiracy theories about sustainable initiatives. A prime example is the 15-minute city concept—designed to ensure that essential services like schools, clinics, and parks are within a short walk or bike ride, reducing car dependency, traffic, and carbon emissions. However, climate disinformation has distorted this urban planning approach, reframing it as a government scheme to restrict freedoms and exert control over people’s lives

Misinformation also targets green technologies, with narratives falsely claiming that "electric cars explode" or that smart cities and environmental policies are designed to penalize car ownership and limit individual choice. These distortions not only spread distrust but also contribute to real-world consequences, from policy opposition to threats against urban planners.

Looking ahead, efforts like the Digital Services Act (DSA) offer hope by strengthening mechanisms to report and counter climate disinformation, particularly those undermining sustainable solutions.

Discrediting Climate Activism: Tactics and Counterstrategies

Climate activists and scientists face targeted efforts to undermine their credibility, weaken movements, and erode public trust. These tactics include character assassination, where activists are smeared as extremists or untrustworthy; divide and conquer strategies that create internal fractures within movements; legal harassment, such as surveillance and excessive legal restrictions; economic attacks, including job blacklisting and lawsuits; and public opinion manipulation, where media and social platforms are used to discredit climate action.

To rebuild trust and strengthen the movement:

Protests must be strategically framed to avoid reinforcing narratives that paint activists as disruptive or dangerous.
Discourse strategies should focus on finding common ground, as emotional resistance cannot always be countered with logic.
The climate movement must connect with broader social justice causes to create a united and more resilient coalition.
A new, hopeful narrative is needed to counter fear-based denial and skepticism.
Fostering a sense of autonomy and empowerment by highlighting tangible solutions can drive engagement and action.

While fear and division are often used to stall climate action, a vision of hope and agency—demonstrating what people can do—can be a powerful counterforce.

More about I2I project