University of Kwazulu-Natal

Climate Activists Worry They Re Losing Informatio­n War

Bonisiwe Shabane
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climate activists worry they re losing informatio­n war

In recent years, shifting political alliances have turned climate policy into a battlefield. Governments that once championed ambitious green targets are now grappling with internal divisions, election cycles, and competing economic priorities. This volatility makes it difficult to maintain consistent, long‑term strategies needed to curb global warming. Powerful industry groups are leveraging massive lobbying campaigns to influence legislation and public opinion. Fossil‑fuel corporations, automotive manufacturers, and agribusinesses invest heavily in lobbying firms, think tanks, and political action committees to protect their interests. Their efforts often result in watered‑down regulations, delayed implementation dates, and the promotion of “green‑washed” alternatives that fall short of scientific recommendations.

The digital age has amplified the spread of misinformation. Social media platforms, blogs, and fringe news sites circulate misleading statistics, conspiracy theories, and outright falsehoods about climate science. Algorithms that prioritize engagement further amplify sensationalist content, drowning out credible research and expert voices. Activists and scientists now contend with a dual challenge: not only must they push for policy change, but they also have to combat a relentless wave of false narratives. This “information war” erodes public trust, fuels skepticism, and hampers the mobilization of grassroots support essential for large‑scale environmental reforms. To regain the narrative, experts suggest a multi‑pronged approach:

by Lisa Friedman and Steven Lee Myers New York Times When nearly 200 nations signed the 2015 Paris agreement, acknowledging the threat of rising global temperatures and vowing action, many hoped that the era of climate denial was finally over. Ten years later it has roared back, arguably stronger than ever. As delegates wrapped the annual United Nations climate talks last Saturday, those who have campaigned to reduce the use of fossil fuels expressed growing alarm that forces arrayed against them are gaining ground in... “There’s a lot of reality that has hit,” said Steven J. Milloy, the founder of JunkScience.com, a website that has disputed the scientific consensus on climate change.

“People are realizing now that we need fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are here to stay.”… When nearly 200 nations signed the 2015 Paris agreement, acknowledging the threat of rising global temperatures and vowing action, many hoped that the era of climate denial was finally over. Ten years later it has roared back, arguably stronger than ever. As delegates wrapped the annual United Nations climate talks Nov. 22, those who have campaigned to reduce the use of fossil fuels expressed growing alarm that forces arrayed against them are gaining ground in the information war.

The oil, gas and coal industries continue to downplay the scientific consensus that the burning of fossil fuels is dangerously heating the planet. It’s a strategy that has been echoed by oil-rich countries such as Russia, Saudi Arabia and — under the Trump administration — the United States. President Donald Trump mocks global warming as a hoax, cheered on by a chorus of influencers online who regularly promote disinformation on social media platforms that once tried to curtail it. While such views have long been dismissed as conspiracy theories, their influence on the global policy debates has clearly grown. NextFin News - At the close of the 2025 United Nations climate talks held last weekend in Belém, Brazil, prominent climate change activists and social scientists expressed mounting anxiety that their efforts to combat... Nearly 200 nations had initially committed under the 2015 Paris Agreement to confront the existential threat posed by rising global temperatures.

However, the final U.N. communique notably omitted terms such as "fossil fuels," a conspicuous sign of retreat in global consensus on the issue. The resurgence of climate denialism has been fueled by intensified lobbying and strategic downplaying of scientific consensus by the oil, gas, and coal industries, alongside support from influential fossil fuel-exporting governments including Russia, Saudi... Under President Donald Trump's administration, skepticism toward climate science has been openly propagated, with Trump infamously labeling global warming a "hoax" and mobilizing a robust online network of social media influencers who disseminate disinformation. Platforms that once sought to curtail such falsehoods now struggle to contain their widespread reach. J.

Timmons Roberts, Executive Director of Brown University's Climate Social Science Network, lamented on the eve of the talks: "We thought that good ideas would get people to act," highlighting the disconnect between scientific evidence... The 2025 COP30 negotiations revealed how entrenched political and economic interests, buoyed by misinformation, continue to impede meaningful policy advancement. Analyzing the root causes, the revival of climate denial aligns closely with shifting geopolitical priorities wherein major fossil fuel producing nations prioritize economic gains over environmental commitments. This is compounded by President Trump's administration’s reversal of prior climate policies, which has emboldened domestic and international actors to dismiss the urgency of decarbonization. The exploitation of social media as an echo chamber has magnified the reach and impact of disinformation, complicating efforts by scientists and activists to educate the public and policymakers. The consequences of this trend are profound.

With fossil fuel subsidies and lobbying campaigns intensifying, and misinformation shaping public opinion and legislative debates, there is growing evidence that climate action commitments are becoming increasingly diluted. The exclusion of language explicitly targeting fossil fuels in official UN documents signifies a tactical retreat, potentially delaying critical emissions reductions necessary to meet the Paris Agreement targets. A little over a year ago, the journal Science published a paper co-authored by researchers from the University of Arizona and the University of Bristol. It revealed a blatant chink in the climate alarmist’s armor pointing out the global average temperature is 58.96°F (14.98°C), which is considerably cooler than the 96.8°F (36°C) average observed roughly 100 million years ago. That said, the study highlighted a steady decline in Earth’s temperatures over the past 50 million years. What was significant is the study was highlighted by mainstream media outlets but it really undermined their blaming humans as revealed by the graph included in their reports.

Amid the effort to emphasize global warming and the climate crisis, various political stories and pessimistic forecasts have been circulated for more than three decades. Meanwhile, Americans have grown increasingly doubtful about the very existence of a climate crisis, not to mention whether emissions from SUVs and cow flatulence are driving temperature shifts—and now evidence shows that skepticism toward... In the wake of recent developments, The New York Times (which regularly publishes climate change propaganda) is beginning to admit defeat. However, instead of admitting they are defeated, the Grey Lady blames (you guessed it) fossil fuels. As delegates wrapped the annual United Nations climate talks last Saturday, those who have campaigned to reduce the use of fossil fuels expressed growing alarm that forces arrayed against them are gaining ground in...

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