Responding to Climate Misinformation
FAQs and Resources for Local GovernmentsResponding to Climate Misinformation: FAQs and Resources for Local Governments
Climate misinformation and disinformation are on the rise and Canadian local governments are not immune to their impacts. As populist parties increase their electoral strength, governments, environmental organizations, and advocates of climate policies face challenges from well-orchestrated networks. Additionally, the availability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is making it easier than ever for single individuals and small groups to promote personal, often misinformed, perspectives and agendas within communities. In many instances, local governments cannot avoid the misinformation and must respond. The following provides answers to frequently asked questions and resources to help local governments respond to climate misinformation.
What is climate misinformation and disinformation?
According to the global Coalition of Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD): “Climate change misinformation and disinformation create a distorted perception of climate science and solutions; meanwhile they weaken the public mandate for effective domestic and international policies aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement.” In Canada, climate misinformation campaigns are increasingly being used to pressure local governments to withdraw support for climate plans and remove councils from climate programs.
Misinformation FAQs
How does climate action support local communities?
In Canada, municipal climate action plays a critical role in supporting local communities including small- and medium- businesses and residents by addressing the specific environmental, social, and economic challenges posed by climate change locally. Fostering local green jobs and industries, supporting energy retrofits, and green infrastructure projects help to reduce emissions and create new local employment. Likewise, local governments are engaging citizens in these decisions through consultation, public forums, and participatory budgeting where these inclusive approaches ensure that local climate policies reflect community needs and empower residents.
Why do we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Canadians are already facing challenges related to climate change — from increasingly devastating wildfires and floods to extreme weather and heat waves. Climate change impacts will worsen as the climate continues to warm, putting the health, well-being, and prosperity of people and communities at risk. As the Government of Canada puts it, if we want clean air, good jobs, a healthy environment, and a strong economy, we have to take bold and immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change, while strengthening our economy with sustainable jobs and clean industrial growth.
Click here to learn more about Canada’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
What is ICLEI’s role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions?
As a global network, ICLEI elevates the voices of local and regional governments and drives change through the implementation of five sustainable development pathways. One of these pathways, the zero emission development pathway, aims to curb climate change, create new economic opportunities, and improve the health of people and natural systems.
At ICLEI Canada, we work with municipalities to support their GHG emission reduction goals while aligning with ICLEI’s zero emission development pathway and industry standards. We do this by tailoring our services to meet the unique needs of each community and support their locally-identified priorities.
Many of the municipalities we work with follow the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program’s five-step Milestone Framework to identify and work towards local climate goals. The PCP Framework encourages municipalities to set GHG targets and develop their own local climate action plans based on community consultation and priorities. Moving through the PCP Milestones also allows municipalities to identify where they can save money, improve air quality, create jobs, improve residents’ health and more.
Click here to learn more about the PCP program and click here to learn more about the global ICLEI network.
What is climate change?
Climate change refers to statistically significant changes in the Earth’s climate over time (typically decades or longer). This includes changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events. Climate change may be due to natural internal processes or external forces, or to persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use.
Click here to learn more about climate change and to explore Canadian climate data.
What is the main cause of climate change?
97% of climate scientists agree that the climate is warming and that the main cause of recent climate change is related to human activities. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): “Human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850-1900 in 2011-2020.”
Natural variability (e.g., El Niño and La Niña, volcanic eruptions, and ice ages) also affects the climate alongside the human-induced warming brought on by increased greenhouse gas emissions. When talking about the cause of climate change, it is important to distinguish between short-term natural variability (i.e., natural fluctuations in climate that occur over shorter timescales) and long-term climate change (i.e., long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns).
Click here to learn more about natural variability and click here to read the IPCC’s Synthesis Report for the Sixth Assessment Report which summarizes scientific understanding of climate change and its cause.
Misinformation and Communications Resources for Local Governments
Disinformation in the City Response Playbook
University of Melbourne – Cities and Disinformation Project | 2024
This playbook is a strategic guide for cities and local governments dealing with the spread of disinformation. It starts by providing an overview of the impacts of disinformation on cities as well as common disinformation themes before diving into practical recommendations to help cities understand why and how to respond to disinformation. The playbook showcases initiatives and examples from various cities in the context of three broad disinformation response lifecycle phases including (1) Pre-empting and early detection, (2) Spread prevention and pre-bunking, and (3) De-bunking and recovery.
Backlash: Political Insights From Europe and North America on Rising Opposition to Policies Addressing Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss
EcoAnalytics Research Opinionation Webinar Hosted by The Sustainability Network | July 4, 2024
In this webinar, Neil Carter, Professor of Politics at the University of York in the UK, Lori Thorlakson, Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, and James Boothroyd, Project Director of EcoAnalytics Research help Non-Government Organizations, governments, and other climate communicators understand emerging political trends and prudent strategic adjustments.
From Fringe to Foreground: How the Far-Right is Influencing Canada’s Climate Conversation
Webinar hosted by Re:Climate | February 28, 2024
In this webinar, Dr. Tanner Mirrlees, Associate Professor of Communication and Digital Media Studies at Ontario Tech University, Dr. Chris Russill, Associate Professor in the School of Journalism at Carlton University and Communication and Academic Director at Re.Climate, and Geoff Dembicki, an Investigative Reports at DeSmog explore the influence of far-right politics on Canada’s climate conversation and provide recommendations for communicators.
Responding to Climate Misinformation in Vancouver: Best Practices From Local Governments
Part of the University of British Columbia’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs Global Policy Project | 2023
This report summarizes research undertaken to identify interventions the City of Vancouver could adopt to address misinformation and increase public understanding and support for evidence-based municipal climate solutions. The report includes recommendations based on best practices undertaken by similar municipal governments, advice from communications specialists, and other local resources and expertise.
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