Heed scientists’ calls, not climate change denials

Climate misinformation refers to the spread of inaccurate information about climate change that can arise from human error, while climate disinformation is driven by a deliberate intent to spread knowingly false information. Either intent can have negative implications for both climate policy and action. Various factors seem to come into play to deny public facts and causes of extreme weather events pummeling many a region around the world, leaving scientists and weather analysts flummoxed.

It is not that there is no information on worsening of global warming. Plenty of it exists, and several international bodies like the UN and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are crying hoarse for a decisive climate action, inaction on which front is afflicting the governments around the world. One can say the lack of decisive climate action among governments can be put down to economic priorities, political amnesia and powerful lobbies in industry. Short-termism is plaguing governments as they madly prefer short-term economic growth over long-term environmental goals. Populist promises and policies are a factor, too, in harnessing fossil fuels at the cost of the environment. They cannot tolerate any slowdown in economy. As for industries, those that depend on fossil fuels are wary of green switchover costs. What aids their perceptions or interests is public ignorance and inaction itself. We do not see much public anger, or anger, about the climate change in temperatures or in incidence of heavy or no rains at all. Public concern about climate change is pitifully not strong enough to pressure governments into action.

Political leaders may only act when there’s widespread demand from their citizens. Though grassroots movements, youth activism, and growing scientists’ calls for action are gathering steam, the change is not happening as public demand and political will are yet to align.

Calls for growing for global attention that Earth is frighteningly closing in on the 1.5 degree C threshold of global warming. Opponents of climate science like no less than the President of US are sowing doubts among the people the gravity of climate change. Forget about the pace of action, we are not even moving in the right direction. To counter this climate disinformation, the United Nations, together with the education and science agency, UNESCO and the Brazilian government, launched the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brazil. UN Secretary-General António Guterres gave a clarion call that “We must fight the coordinated disinformation campaigns impeding global progress on climate change, ranging from outright denial to greenwashing to harassment of climate scientists”. Countries can no longer take on climate change denialism as well as disinformation individually.

As of the 2025 deadline for updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), only 13 out of the 195 Parties to the Paris Agreement communicated their NDC 3.0. to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat. This abysmally low compliance of voluntary commitments from governments amps up concerns about forming an international political will to address the climate changes effectively. Record-breaking disasters or phenomena are being driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, amplified by the transition from La Niña to El Niño. Tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, and other hazards were at record levels in 2024. Scientists are drawing attention to irreversible changes, including the rate of sea level rise, but their voices are getting drowned in the melee of announcements to exploit nature’s resources for short-term growth. That we are not taking remedial measures in right earnest would only mean we are heading in the wrong direction.