“The media are a target for disinformers because they need to legitimise their arguments by presenting them in the traditional media, which remains a trusted source.” That was the warning issued by Emmanuel Vincent, a climate scientist and the founder of Science Feedback, during a ‘How to spot and fight climate disinformation?’ webinar, organised by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on 27 and 28 May. This session was organised as part of the IFJ’s ‘Strengthening media capacities to combat climate misinformation and disinformation’ project, funded by the Global Initiative.
Over fifty journalists and trade union members took part in a workshop aimed at identifying and countering climate disinformation and supporting accurate reporting on environmental issues. The webinar featured Emmanuel Vincent, a climate scientist and the founder of Science Feedback, an independent organisation dedicated to strengthening the integrity of science-related information online. “Anything that denies that humans are causing climate change is disinformation,” he asserted. The second part of the session was led by Jennifer Moreau, IFJ’s Vice President and Chair of the IFJ’s Climate Action Team and national representative at Unifor Canada; and Bianca Hall, Media Vice President at Australia’s Media, Arts and Entertainment (MEAA) and environment and climate reporter at The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.
Vincent presented real-world cases of misinformation and disinformation, exposing misleading narratives and providing examples of how such claims can be deconstructed and debunked. One of these is the false claim that “global warming stopped for 18 years”. He described it as a classic cherry-picking case, in which data is used selectively to support a claim, while ignoring a larger body of evidence that contradicts it. “This is an argument that is easy to debunk because when the full climate record is examined, the long-term warming trend clearly continues,” he stated, noting that global warming takes place over a period of decades as well as that the ocean has not stopped getting warmer.
Tips and tools to counter climate disinformation
Using reliable sources
He encouraged journalists to consult the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change, for the most authoritative compilation of climate science knowledge. Vincent recommended NASA for satellite data, visual tools and long-term observations of the planet; and NOAA for research into ocean temperatures, sea levels and hurricanes.
The CarbonBrief explains climate science research to journalists, while the ClimateBrink is written plainly by climate scientists for a general audience.
Through fact-checking, journalists can avoid the spread of misinformation, ensure scientific accuracy and help the public make informed decisions. The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles is a label that guarantees the commitment of organisations to non-partisanship, fairness, transparency of sources and funding, and transparency of methodology. It also guarantees a commitment to open and honest corrections. A list of organisations that adhere to the IFCN Code of Principles worldwide can be found here.
Check the credibility of sources
If journalists come across dubious claims about environmental issues, Vincent recommends that they consult InfluenceMap. A database of corporate and industry association lobbying of climate policy around the globe. Reporters can use it to examine whether companies support or oppose certain climate policies.
DeSmog’s Climate Disinformation Database is another key resource to track disinformation with extensive research on individuals and organisations that have been or are involved in climate misinformation and disinformation. “If a source of a claim is in their disinformation database, be very sceptical,” warned Vincent.
To check the reputation of a journal in which a supposed scientific study has been published, he referred journalists to Scimagojr, where the number of citations can be seen. RetractionWatch is essential to finding out if a study has been retracted and PubPeer is a platform where scientists comment on studies that they suspect may contain disinformation.
Avoiding false balance
“Giving equal airtime to a climate sceptic and a climatologist as if both positions are equally valid is not balanced, it’s misleading,” stressed Vincent. He recommended that journalists avoid inviting guests that might entail a conflict of interest and investigate their network of trust before inviting them.
A French journalist working for a 24-hour TV channel asked how journalists can avoid misinformation and disinformation when the format of a 24-hour channel requires them to constantly seek out guests to debate current affairs. Vincent advised journalists to be prepared to challenge false claims live, which requires prior research and training on the subject. He also insisted that, before inviting guests, producers should check their network of contacts to see if there is a potential conflict of interest.
AI tools that help with verification
- AskVera is a chatbot (Large Language Model) that only answers questions based on credible sources.
- Check Please SIFT Protocol is a long prompt based on the teaching verification method ‘Stop, Investigate, Find and Trace’ that verifies complex claims that need investigation.
What can trade unions do to tackle climate disinformation?
Jennifer Moreau and Bianca Hall discussed what trade unions can do to counter climate disinformation and encourage climate action, which is a labour issue.
- Negotiate contracts with employers to improve working conditions, meaning adequate time for fact-checking, training in climate reporting and sufficient staffing and investigative resources.
- Ensure safety protection for climate reporting. Employers have a duty of care to provide journalists with protective gear, safety training and risk assessment when reporting on climate-related issues.
- Lobbying governments for regulation and/or taxation of tech platforms, who benefit financially from journalism while weakening the newsroom revenues.
More information about the ‘Strengthening media capacities to combat climate misinformation and disinformation’ here.
Source: IFJ
