THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE DISINFORMATION ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION

The report finds that between 55% and 85% of surveyed populations in six countries believe at least one piece of climate misinformation, with the highest prevalence in India and the lowest in the UK. Significant portions of the public hold beliefs contrary to scientific consensus, such as the idea that natural gas is a climate-friendly energy source or that net-zero targets are unaffordable. The study identifies a strong correlation between high-frequency news consumption and a higher likelihood of believing misinformation, highlighting specific media outlets like Fox News in the US and the Daily Mail in the UK as being associated with higher rates of misinformation belief.

• A substantial portion of the surveyed populations hold beliefs that contradict climate science: between 6% and 23% do not believe in climate change or are uncertain about it, and 22% to 38% believe humans are only partly responsible.
• The prevalence of believing at least one climate misinformation statement is widespread, ranging from 55% to 85% across the surveyed countries, with India showing the highest share and the UK the lowest.
• There is significant public belief in the narrative that natural gas is a climate-friendly or essential energy source for the transition, with 57% of Indians, 40% of Brazilians, 39% of US citizens, 34% of Australians, and 25% of Germans holding this view.
• At least 25% of respondents in all six surveyed countries believe that their respective nation cannot afford to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
• Misinformation regarding renewable energy is common, particularly the belief that wind and solar power cannot provide a reliable 24/7 electricity grid, which is believed by 47% of people in India, 32% in the US, and 27% in the UK.
• Beliefs about electric vehicles (EVs) often center on resource scarcity and environmental impact; for example, 43% of people in Germany and India believe there is insufficient lithium to supply the world with EVs.
• Frequent news consumption is linked to a higher likelihood of believing misinformation, with individuals consuming news five or more days per week more likely to believe 41% or more of the misinformation statements than non-consumers.
• Specific media outlets are strongly associated with higher rates of misinformation belief, including Fox News in the United States and the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom.
• The report identifies a trend where heavy consumers of various news outlets are more likely to receive failing grades on the misinformation index, suggesting that regular reporting often includes misinformation narratives.

APA

Climate Action Against Disinformation (n.d.). THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE DISINFORMATION ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION. https://caad.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-Impacts-of-Climate-Disinformation-on-Public-Perception.pdf

Chicago

Climate Action Against Disinformation. THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE DISINFORMATION ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION. n.d. https://caad.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-Impacts-of-Climate-Disinformation-on-Public-Perception.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Action Against Disinformation |title=THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE DISINFORMATION ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION |url=https://caad.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-Impacts-of-Climate-Disinformation-on-Public-Perception.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateactionagainstdisinformationndimpacts, author = {{Climate Action Against Disinformation}}, title = {{THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE DISINFORMATION ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION}}, institution = {Climate Action Against Disinformation}, url = {https://caad.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-Impacts-of-Climate-Disinformation-on-Public-Perception.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }