Disinformation around climate change largely targeting solutions, not denying global warming

ISD’s Head of Climate Research and Policy, Jennie King, spoke to NPR about the targeting of climate solutions, specifically as seen in the trajectory of the 15-minute city urban planning model.

“Fifteen-minute cities is the latest victim in a broader trend,” she said. “The unifying theme of a lot of these attacks and conspiracies is that climate change is being used as a pretext to strip people of their civil liberties.”

Jennie also noted that ‘a lot of disinformation around climate change has moved from denying that global warming exists, to attacks on climate solutions’.

“It actually doesn’t matter if 99% of the public believe in climate change. If they are still confused about the viable pathways forward, or you’re able to embed real fear and seeds of doubt about the solutions that are on the table, you end up with the same outcome, which is no legislative agenda, no meaningful policy proposals, no local action. So trying to slow down that process of policy making.”

The full segment was broadcasted on air on 15 October on NPR.