Nurses Call on Ottawa to Join Global Fight Against Climate Disinformation to Safeguard Public Health

Canadian health organizations are urging the federal government to join a United Nations initiative aimed at combating climate change disinformation, citing public health concerns and widespread public support for such action.

In a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney and cabinet ministers, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) and 14 other organizations have called on Canada to sign the Global Initiative on Information Integrity on Climate Change (GIIICC). The UN-led effort focuses on countering the spread of false information during climate emergencies and extreme weather events.

The appeal comes at a time when climate disinformation has become increasingly prevalent during environmental crises. According to the organizations, misleading information circulated during wildfires, floods, and heatwaves undermines emergency response efforts and erodes public trust in official guidance.

“Nurses see firsthand how misinformation harms people,” said NP Lhamo Dolkar, RNAO president. “Information integrity is a public-health imperative. People inundated with false narratives circulated during climate emergencies might ignore health warnings or evacuation orders. The real-world consequences: preventable illness and death.”

Recent polling data from McGill University’s Media Ecosystem Observatory appears to validate these concerns, revealing that 86 percent of Canadians support government intervention to curb online disinformation during extreme weather events. Additionally, 82 percent favor Canada joining global information integrity initiatives like GIIICC.

RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun drew parallels between environmental and informational pollution, stating, “Disinformation poisons the information ecosystem the same way toxins poison our air and water.” She highlighted that much of the misleading content appears to be strategic rather than accidental, noting that “profit-driven deception erodes trust in science, delays urgent climate action and endangers lives.”

Grinspun specifically pointed to tactics employed by fossil fuel industries, comparing them to historical disinformation campaigns by tobacco companies designed to create doubt about scientific consensus. “Much of this disinformation is intentional – driven by fossil fuel and related industries seeking to block climate action,” she said.

The GIIICC initiative, launched by UNESCO, aims to provide governments with tools to identify and counter organized disinformation campaigns while supporting journalists and researchers working on climate issues. Several European nations, including the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, have already signed on to the initiative.

Beyond government participation in GIIICC, the RNAO emphasized the need for stronger regulation of social media platforms that potentially profit from spreading misleading content. “Protecting the integrity of information means holding these platforms accountable,” Grinspun stated. “No one should profit from endangering lives.”

Climate misinformation has become increasingly sophisticated and widespread in recent years, with coordinated campaigns often appearing during critical climate events. False narratives around the causes of wildfires, questioning evacuation orders, or undermining the scientific consensus on climate change can hamper emergency responses and delay necessary action.

Health professionals have been increasingly vocal about the intersection between climate change, public health, and information integrity. Medical organizations worldwide have recognized climate change as a significant health threat, with events like heatwaves, floods, and fires directly impacting population health.

“Canadians have a right to reliable information when their health and safety are at stake,” Dolkar emphasized. “We urge the federal government to join the Global Initiative now – because fighting misinformation is part of fighting the climate crisis.”

The coalition’s call for action reflects growing recognition that information integrity is a crucial component of climate resilience and public health protection in an era of increasing environmental challenges and digital information consumption.