Inside the viral lies that spread climate confusion » Yale Climate Connections

In the 3rd century BC, Eratosthenes of Cyrene, a Greek astronomer and librarian, measured with astonishing precision the circumference of the planet using only shadows and mathematics. Now, centuries later, there are still people who do not believe the basic scientific fact that the world is round.

The same approach of denial, discrediting, and sowing doubt has marked other major scientific and environmental falsehoods. In the 1970s, ExxonMobil’s own scientists warned that the continued use of fossil fuels was warming our climate. The response was not to warn the public or curb emissions but to finance a campaign to discredit climate science.

Decades later, as the world faces more intense heat waves, more destructive fires, and more polluted air, the consequences of that disinformation remain real. Latino communities – who often live in more vulnerable areas with less access to environmental protection – are especially affected.

In many Latino communities, Facebook, WhatsApp, and viral message chains have amplified falsehoods that weaken trust in science and hinder public responses to extreme events.

Isabel Rubio, journalist and fact-checking expert at Factchequeado – a nonpartisan and nonprofit initiative that tackles mis- and disinformation affecting Latino and Hispanic communities in the United States – has closely monitored false narratives about climate change circulating in Spanish. She warns about their ability to confuse, demobilize, and endanger already vulnerable populations. (Editor’s note: Factcheaqueado is a Yale Climate Connections partner.)

“Various false narratives about climate change circulate in Latino communities, many of them spread through social media,” Rubio said by email. “Some of the most common include denial that climate change is happening or that it’s caused by human activity; the idea that CO2 is not a pollutant; that global warming does not cause sea-level rise; and that extreme weather events are not becoming more frequent or intense.”

Rubio explained that climate disinformation can be especially harmful to Latino populations when facing extreme events like hurricanes, heat waves, floods, or wildfires.

“Many Latino communities live or work in areas more vulnerable to climate impacts – coastal zones, agricultural regions, precarious housing, or neighborhoods with less infrastructure,” she said. “If they also receive false information (like ‘Climate change isn’t real’ or ‘Storms are manipulated’), they are more likely to underestimate risk, fail to take timely precautions, or distrust official alerts.”

She added that delayist narratives such as “It’s already too late to act” also “discourage the adoption of solutions and may lead Latino communities not to support climate policies.”

It’s coming from inside the White House

In the United States, powerful government officials frequently spread misinformation and disinformation.

President Donald Trump has claimed without credible evidence that climate change is “a hoax” and repeatedly attacked renewable energy, especially wind power. In July 2025, he falsely claimed that wind turbines are “the biggest hoax of them all” and argued that “they’re killing our birds.”

Although wind turbine collisions do kill some birds, the number pales in comparison to the annual bird deaths from collisions with windows, buildings, and other human-made structures.

Other Trump claims – such as that wind turbine noise causes cancer or that wind energy pollutes more than oil – have no scientific backing and have been refuted by federal agencies and independent research centers. Yet when repeated from positions of power, such statements sow confusion, erode public trust in science, and delay action.

Conspiracy theories

Rubio also warns of misleading content that seeks to undermine trust in electric vehicles, or claims that humans control the climate and weather, or that “the UN’s 2030 Agenda seeks to impose global control under the pretext of climate action.”

“A few weeks ago, we detected multiple posts on social media claiming that ‘The planet is cooling’ and questioning the existence of climate change,” she said. “However, experts consulted by Factchequeado labeled these claims false and ‘nonsense.’ Scientists point out there is a strong scientific consensus that Earth is warming, and while there can be temporary cooling due to natural factors like El Niño, official data confirms global temperatures continue to rise steadily.”

She stressed that countering this type of disinformation is essential to preventing public confusion and preserving trust in science.

Denialism and delayism

Regarding the most common strategies used by those who spread false messages, Rubio identified two main patterns.

The first is denialism, which “openly rejects the existence of climate change or denies it is caused by human activity. It also tends to minimize extreme events like heat waves or hurricanes, claiming that ‘They’ve always happened’ and are not linked to global warming.”

The second strategy is delayism, which “unlike denialism, acknowledges that climate change is real but promotes inaction,” Rubio explained. “It pushes ideas like: ‘It’s already too late to do anything,’ or ‘The proposed solutions are useless or even harmful.’ Its goal is to sow doubt about the effectiveness of necessary measures and thus delay climate action.”

Rubio cited a recent report from the International Panel on the Information Environment, which concluded that “classic denialism has been replaced by a more strategic skepticism. This new form of disinformation acknowledges the existence of climate change but minimizes its severity, questions its human causes, and discredits solutions.”

“A common tactic is to distort the scientific consensus on climate change and spread false or misleading data about the problem and its possible solutions,” the report’s authors wrote. “The goal is to confuse the public about the reality of the phenomenon, reduce the sense of urgency, and dilute individual and collective responsibility for the climate crisis.”

Climate disinformation is not an innocent mistake: It is a strategy with real consequences. Recognizing it, understanding it, and combating it is essential to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and society as a whole.