Media and information literacy is one of the determinants as to whether a pressing problem gets the action it needs. If there is one problem that defies all boundaries, it is climate change. A climate crisis knows nothing about our differences and goals, it only happens because something must have created it. Climate change is a global problem that we are all responsible for but what does Media and Information Literacy have to do with it? Climate change is not entirely an environmental problem. It is too complex because various interests are involved in this discussion. Media and technologies now have profound effects on our environment and future aside from our digital carbon footprint. Lies and misleading content spread through the Internet, social, and traditional media worsens the problem in more ways than one. Climate misinformation and disinformation can prevent us from seeing our planet's situation and impending fate if we do not act now. Without knowing the intensity and urgency of the problem, nothing will drive us to change something. Climate change denial will hide the truth until there's nothing we can do. Delaying tactics are no better because they delay actions that could have made the difference only if they were done sooner. Because of technology and digitalization, our fight against climate change is no longer bound to forests, seas, rivers, and mountains among others. The digital space is equally dangerous if it is filled with climate disinformation. This highlights the need for Media and Information Literacy and also discusses how a media and information-literate individual can become a climate warrior. Using my knowledge from the previous modules on how to assess information sources, I was able to compile data and information from reliable sources to present the importance of climate literacy. The competencies and skills from the course can be used to assess information sources that discuss climate change and our roles in its occurrence. The presentation includes examples of content published by groups that deny climate change and our contribution to it to show how social media can be used to amplify lies and conspiracy theories. Most importantly, the presentation provides ways to fight climate misinformation and disinformation through media and information literacy. Without MIL, we cannot expect climate action because what we do comes from what we know to be true.

1. CLIMATE CHANGE

2. MEDIA &
INFORMATION
LITERACY
and CLIMATE
CHANGE

3. How can MIL help our planet’s
future?

4. “Understanding the basic science of climate, one’s influence on the
climate change and climate’s influence on the society at large needs
information, media and technological competencies.”
UNESCO

5. Factors affecting wise decision-making related to
climate change (UNESCO)
Disinformation and misinformation
Information overload
Limited access to information
Climate change denial and conspiracy theories

6. Lack of MIL competencies
Makes digital citizens prone to
climate-related
disinformation and unverified
claims disseminated through
online and offline media
Low level of acceptance of
climate change science
Ignorance of the
individual or collective
actions we can take to
fight climate change
Source: UNESCO

7. Climate
Misinformation and
Disinformation

8. Misinformation & Disinformation
Deceptive or misleading content that:
• Undermines the existence or impacts of climate change, the unequivocal human
influence on climate change, and the need for corresponding urgent action
according to the IPCC scientific consensus and in line with the goals of the Paris
Climate Agreement;
• Misrepresents scientific data, including by omission or cherry-picking, in order
to erode trust in climate science, climate-focused institutions, experts, and
solutions; or
• Falsely publicises efforts as supportive of climate goals that in fact contribute to
climate warming or contravene the scientific consensus on mitigation or
adaptation.
Source: Climate Action Against Disinformation

9. Misinformation &
Disinformation
• Undermines and questions climate science solutions
• Delays climate action
“How can we make urgent and meaning actions to combat climate
change, individually or as a society, if we do not have the right and
factual information?”

10. Corporate actors,
industry and
foundations that have
interest in climate
change, especially in
energies
How is climate change disinformation
produced & how does it spread
They pay producers of
climate change
disinformation such
as political, religious
and grassroot
organizations and
contrarian or fake
scientists
Actors in positions of
power such as media,
politicians and
prominent bloggers
amplify the message
The general public
with insufficient
media and
information literacy
competencies share
and create an echo
chamber, which can
lead to polarization
Source: Carbonbrief

11. • Much of the misleading content about climate change and
renewable energy is funded by a handful of industries, particularly
the fossil fuel industry, and often conceived by think tanks and front
groups.
• Year after year, the fossil fuel industry has spent huge sums funding
think tanks and influencer campaigns to spread distorted stories,
conspiracy theories and outright lies.
• Ill-intentioned actors operate tirelessly across social media, sowing
doubt about the climate emergency and its solutions.
• Then various “influencers” help amplify it
Source: UNESCO and Verified

12. Source: BBC News
Creative Society is an international activist group that denies global warming is being
caused by human activity.
It has more than 200 accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers - across all
major social media platforms.
• Denies elementary facts of climate change in their posts
• YouTube videos describing greenhouse gases as “the scam of the century”
• Links, without credible evidence, the melting of glaciers to “cosmic pulses of
galactic interactions” on TikTok
• Has paid to promote videos wrongly describing renewable energies as a “scam”
• Tweeted memes about “corrupted scientists...lying about the causes of climate
change”

13. Media Source: BBC News

14. Denial, delaying tactics
• Climate change denial argues that climate change is not real or that it is
not caused by humans
• “Distract and delay” tactics hold us back and delay action
• They do not deny the existence of climate warming, but instead attack
measures to combat the crisis, question the integrity of climate
scientists, and argue that environmentalists are alarmist.
Source: Global Witness

15. "Delayism"
• A tactic used to spread false information and slow climate
action
• People and groups acknowledge that climate change is real but
share messages that cast unwarranted doubt on its impacts
and on climate solutions
Source: Environmental Defense Fund

16. Research shows that climate disinformation is a primary
contributor to public polarization over the climate crisis, and that
it shapes public attitudes toward climate science, individuals who
are exposed to this kind of disinformation are less likely to
support mitigation policies, hindering the ability of policymakers
to take meaningful climate action.
Source: Global Witness

17. Climate Literacy
MIL
+
Science Literacy
Empowerment
to fight climate
change

18. • The set of competencies to understand
how climate change happens, its
impacts, and relevant approaches
• Acquired and frequently applied by
means of information, media, and
digital technology, and are thus
intertwined with MIL competencies
Climate Literacy
Source: UNESCO

19. Media and information literate citizens and
decision-makers are able to:
• Access reliable information to make informed
decisions about their consumption and carbon
footprint
• Adapt/change their attitudes and behaviors
accordingly to avoid actions or policies that
can exacerbate the crisis, based on accurate
information and evidence
• Equipped to proactively counter climate
change and contribute to strengthening public
trust of climate change science
Source: UNESCO

20. • Media and technology companies play a central role in educating and
informing citizens on climate change
• Media outlets and information flow on digital communications platforms
amplify the urgency of the crisis, communicate key facts about climate,
and debunk climate change denial and other conspiracy theories
Source: UNESCO

21. Green MIL
Key set of skills already included in the MIL, but precisely aimed at
supporting citizen’s capacity to deal with the existing information
overload on environmental issues
UNESCO

22. Green MIL
Raising awareness of the importance of checking
facts related to environmental sustainability and
paying attention to information sources;
Providing people with the tools and resources
needed to learn how to check sources of information,
spot disinformation and spread information of the
climate change in a responsible way
Encouraging people to get informed on the latest
news, facts and research about the climate
emergency and what can be done at different levels

23. Exercise
Check the sources of the two types of articles, which are from a
renowned media outlet, which are mostly from less known or
even dubious websites
Search this topic on a search engine
See the portion of articles that present global warming as a lie
and those presenting it as a real challenge for the planet
Check the source of information where you learned that global
warming might be a lie and ask yourself: is it trustworthy?
Source: UNESCO
Is global warming a lie or not?

24. Creator Indentity
• Who wrote the content?
• Is the writer or producer’s name listed?
• Are they a real person?
• Does the writer/producer have a
presence on social media?
• Can you learn more about them?
Source: National Environmental Treasure

25. Website, Organization or Platform Legitimacy
• Can you find out more about the website or
news organization posting the content?
• Can you contact them?
• Who else is involved with the organization?
• Are they using a legit domain name or is it a
variation (or typo) of another popular domain?
Source: National Environmental Treasure

26. Website, Organization or Platform Social Media
Presence
• Do they have active social media channels?
• What type of content are they sharing?
• Who are they following and who are their followers?
Source: National Environmental Treasure

27. Content Legitimacy
• Is the content detailed and well-researched?
• Does it link to reliable sources?
• If you Google the topic, what are other sources saying about it
(confirm or counter)?
• Does the content confirm stereotypes?
• Is it racist or prejudice?
• Is the content misleading?
Source: National Environmental Treasure

28. Public Reaction
• Who else is talking about this content?
• Are legitimate and trustworthy websites, organizations
and/or people sharing this content? If so, who and which
ones?
Source: National Environmental Treasure

29. References
Clifton-Ross, J. (2021). Misinformation and disinformation are undermining environmental action.
National Environmental Treasure. https://www.oursafetynet.org/2021/03/30/misinformation-and-
disinformation-online-are-undermining-environmental-action/
Climate Action Against Disinformation. (n.d.). What is climate mis/disinformation?
https://caad.info/what-is-climate-disinformation/
Environmental Defense Fund. (2023). How to fight climate change misinformation.
https://www.edf.org/how-we-can-fight-climate-change-misinformation
Environmental Defense Fund. (2023). Battling climate myths and fighting for the truth.
https://www.edf.org/issue/climate-misinformation
Fleming, M. (2022, May 17). Rampant climate disinformation online is distorting dangers, delaying climate
action. Medium. https://medium.com/we-the-peoples/rampant-climate-disinformation-online-is-
distorting-dangers-delaying-climate-action-375b5b11cf9b

30. References
Fleming, M. (n.d.). Verified for climate: Taking on the information battle at the heart of our fight for a
liveable planet. Verified. https://shareverified.com/2023/07/25/verified-for-climate-taking-on-the-
information-battle-at-the-heart-of-our-fight-for-a-liveable-planet/
Silva, M., & Thomas, M. (2022, April 26). How high-profile scientists felt tricked by group denying climate
change. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-61166339
Turrentine, J. (2022, April 19). Climate misinformation on social media is undermining climate action.
Natural Resources Defense Council. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/climate-misinformation-social-
media-undermining-climate-action
UNESCO (n.d.). Climate change denial is dangerous. [Infographic].
https://en.unesco.org/covid19/communicationinformationresponse/visualresources

31. References
UNESCO (n.d.). Green Media and information literacy. [Infographic].
https://en.unesco.org/covid19/communicationinformationresponse/visualresources
UNESCO (n.d.). What are the factors affecting wise-decision making related to climate change?
[Infographic]. https://en.unesco.org/covid19/communicationinformationresponse/visualresources
UNESCO. (n.d.). How climate change disinformation produced and how does it spread? [Infographic].
https://en.unesco.org/covid19/communicationinformationresponse/visualresources
UNESCO. (n.d.). Media and information literacy: A prerequisite for stimulating climate change
engagement. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/media-and-information-literacy-prerequisite-
stimulating-climate-change-engagement

32. Action starts from information
We do things based on what we
know and understand

33. Climate action
starts with media
and information
literacy