Discussion among EU governments regarding countermeasures against misinformation influencing climate policy agendas.
Tackling the Climate Disinfo War: EU Ministers Address Environmental Misinformation (Informal, conversational tone)
Get ready to talk turkey about pollution— European ministers sat down recently to discuss ways to combat climate-related disinformation that's been floating around like toxic smog. The meeting in Warsaw came just 24 hours after a catastrophic power outage in Spain and Portugal sparked conspiracies and misinformation, exactly the kind of nonsense they're dealing with.
Poland's climate minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska kicked things off, stating that Europe has been inundated with green-themed fake news. According to her, there's been an increase in targeted disinformation aimed at political gains, often orchestrated by their political opponents. But it's not all intentional, she said; there's also misinformation due to a lack of understanding of European law.
Hennig-Kloska used an example of reports about the EU banning flavored crisps, which caused quite a stir last year—in reality, the governments agreed to phase out some smoke flavorings due to cancer concerns. But the principle can be applied more broadly, she added.
Apparently, so far, EU governments have lacked a unified approach to tackling disinformation. But Hennig-Kloska said that the discussions had "opened the topic at the level of the Council."
The Information War
In January, the Polish government published a report pointing to a "cognitive war" orchestrated by Russia and Belarus, costing them an estimated $2-4 billion per year. While most of the money is spent on the Ukraine conflict, a significant portion targets green policies and climate activism.
The EU is vying to ramp up renewable energy production to reduce its reliance on Russian fossil fuel imports. As disinformation delays Europe's energy transition, Hennig-Kloska warned, "Different forces are trying to hold us back."
Climate activists worry that disinformation is fueling a pushback in Brussels against environmental laws. Chiara Martinelli, director of CAN Europe, stated, "Disinformation is on the rise—especially around EU climate and environmental policies."
Martinelli continued, "It has become a go-to weapon for groups and individuals trying to polarize European societies and erode trust in democratic institutions like national governments and the European Union."
Hennig-Kloska said that ministers had agreed that current disinformation measures were ineffective and that new ones would be necessary. However, she emphasized that no concrete plans were developed at the meeting. The next step would be discussions with the Commission, she added.
One proposal on the table: "positive communications" from Brussels, including simplifying the language used by EU institutions. That way, the public can understand the benefits of the EU's climate efforts.
Related:
- European Commission slammed for 'opaque' funding of NGOs
- Young Europeans face rising threat from misinformation as social media becomes main news source
- We must combat Russian propaganda in Moldova, says Moldovan foreign minister | Radio Schuman
[1] EU Policy, disinformation, Climate crisis[2] Education Programs[3] Upcoming Summit[4] Digital Services Act (DSA), Methane Regulations[5] Legal Enforcement
- The meeting in Warsaw, tackling climate-related disinformation, was another step in Europe's battle against the information war orchestrated by Russia and Belarus, particularly focusing on green policies and climate activism.
- As discussions on tackling disinformation opened at the level of the Council, Poland's Minister Hennig-Kloska emphasized that current measures were ineffective and new ones were necessary to combat the rise in disinformation around EU climate and environmental policies.
- To address the issue, the EU is considering positive communications from Brussels, including simplifying the language used by EU institutions, so the public can understand the benefits of EU's climate efforts while combating the climatic misinformation floating around like toxic smog.
- Ministers agreed to discuss the new disinformation strategies with the Commission shortly, with a focus on implementing legal enforcement and enforcing regulations, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Methane Regulations, to curb the spread of environmental misinformation on platforms like LinkedIn.
- Tackling climate disinformation and upholding the principles of science, policy, and legislation in environmental-science has become crucial in the fight against climate-change, ensuring public trust in institutions and avoiding shortcuts that contribute to general news misrepresentation.
