Climate Disinformation Evolves as Europe Faces Extreme Weather Challenges

Across Europe, extreme weather events have become increasingly commonplace. This summer alone, Greece endured severe heat waves while Portugal and Spain battled devastating wildfires, continuing a troubling pattern of heavy rainfall, droughts, extended winters, and unusual heat that has characterized the continent’s climate in recent years.

While scientific consensus firmly attributes these shifts to human activity, climate disinformation has found fertile ground in the digital landscape. According to a comprehensive new report by the International Panel on Information Environment (IPIE), climate denial tactics are evolving in concerning ways.

The report, which analyzed 300 studies on climate disinformation spanning the last decade, identifies several key actors responsible for spreading misleading climate narratives. These include corporations tied to fossil fuels, right-wing politicians, state-backed troll farms, think tanks supporting corporate interests, and various media outlets.

“In Poland, as indicated by the latest IPIE report, we are seeing a clear departure from ‘hard climate denialism’ – simply denying the existence of climate change or its anthropogenic nature,” explains Anna Siewiorek, an expert on climate communication at the Climate&Strategy Foundation. “In its place, more subtle but equally effective disinformation strategies have emerged that undermine the sense, effectiveness and purpose of actions taken in response to the climate crisis.”

These newer tactics include presenting climate policy as a threat to economic security and national identity. In Poland specifically, the European Union is often portrayed as “an external force imposing unfavourable solutions,” while energy transition gets blamed for rising energy prices and system instability.

The report highlights how different entities employ distinct disinformation strategies. Fossil fuel companies typically spread three characteristic narratives: ideological denial of root causes, greenwashing, and presenting the status quo as necessary. Right-wing politicians frequently question the effectiveness, costs, and fairness of climate solutions.

However, approaches differ by country. Germany’s AfD party emphasizes complete denial of climate change, while France’s National Rally takes a more opportunistic approach, shifting positions strategically and linking climate issues to national culture through the concept of “sovereignty.”

Donald Trump receives specific mention as a notable purveyor of climate disinformation, having popularized the narrative of climate change as a “big hoax” fabricated for political purposes.

Experts have identified coordinated disinformation campaigns targeting specific countries. “The Polish Disinformation Team operating under the Ministry of Justice indicated as early as the beginning of 2025 that the Russian Federation and Belarus were conducting a coordinated disinformation campaign in Poland,” Siewiorek notes. “Its aim is to weaken public support for the energy transition and manipulate the message about EU climate and energy policies.”

The report also reveals how certain communities, particularly coal-dependent mining regions, are more susceptible to climate denialism. In these areas, residents often strongly believe narratives like “Poland can’t afford to abandon coal” and “politicians will never take climate action seriously.” This vulnerability stems partly from regional economic dependency on fossil fuels and deeply ingrained cultural identities tied to industries like coal mining.

Emotional appeals prove particularly effective in spreading climate disinformation. Research shows that highly emotional messages often prove more convincing than factual information, regardless of accuracy.

“Climate denialism is so effective for two reasons,” explains Szymon Bujalski, a journalist for climate-focused websites. “Firstly, it no longer consists of questioning the very fact of climate change, but rather the impact of humans, and above all, questioning the proposed solutions. Secondly, these slogans are surprisingly effective because, although theoretically they are backed by the appearance of argumentation, in practice they appeal to emotions.”

Bujalski adds that in Poland, these narratives now originate not only from foreign sources like Russia but also from domestic political figures. “Since power is the most important thing, defending or gaining it is a priority for politicians. That is why disinformation is now used not only by right-wing parties, but also by government representatives themselves.”

As Europe continues to grapple with escalating climate challenges, the battle against sophisticated disinformation appears increasingly crucial for enabling effective climate action.