Social media fuels climate misinformation

Online influencers are driving climate denial worldwide, complicating efforts to curb global warming.

Kiley Price reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

• A Global Witness report found climate misinformation on TikTok proliferated during COP29, with comments denying climate change left largely unchecked.
• Social media platforms like X, Facebook and LinkedIn facilitate rapid spread of misinformation, often amplified by political figures and influencers.
• Researchers found that between 2017 and 2019, Donald Trump and conservative media outlets played leading roles in promoting climate denialism on X.

Key quote:

“During the 2017-2019 study period, the most heavily retweeted post includes one by Trump that questions climate change due to unusually cold weather in the U.S.”

— Joshua Newell, professor of environment and sustainability at the University of Michigan

Why this matters:

Unchecked climate misinformation erodes public trust in science and stalls policies to mitigate global warming. As misinformation spikes during natural disasters, it distracts from real threats and amplifies public confusion, delaying necessary climate action.