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10 documents from Roots added on 23 October 2026
Disinformation Narratives in the San Matías Gulf
The document analyzes a 'cross-cutting disinformation network' involving corporations, the provincial government of Río Negro, and regional media to legitimize the Vaca Muerta Oil Sur (VMOS) project. It details how the repeal of Law 3308, which had protected the San Matías Gulf for over twenty years, paved the way for a 400 km pipeline and an oil port. The study identifies a pattern of 'Pink Slime' journalism, where newly created digital outlets with low organic reach use paid advertising to simulate social consensus and frame fossil fuel expansion as essential for regional development and public welfare, while omitting socio-environmental risks.
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Document type: Case study
Who Bears the Weight of the Cloud?
The report argues that Brazil's digital infrastructure development is characterized by a 'narrative of progress' that obscures ecological damage and marginalizes affected communities. Through media analysis, community surveys, and official information requests, the study finds a systematic lack of environmental impact assessments and a significant gap between the government's 'green' rhetoric and the reality of resource consumption. In Rio Grande do Sul, the Scala AI City project is situated in a flood-prone area, while in Ceará, the TikTok-partnered project by Casa dos Ventos faces opposition from the Anacé Indigenous community over land and water rights. The study concludes that the 'burden of the cloud' falls disproportionately on vulnerable populations through a combination of regulatory vacuum and strategic disinformation.
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Document type: Case study
"Atlanticazo" in Las Grutas - January 4, 2024 PH
The report analyzes disinformation surrounding the Saguaro Project, finding that a significant portion of content on Facebook (43%) and YouTube (39%) used misleading narratives to frame the fossil gas project as a climate solution and driver of economic growth. Government accounts and media outlets were primary sources of this content, often employing 'transition fuel' rhetoric to legitimize the project despite its environmental impacts and legal challenges.
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Document type: Case study
Narrativas de Desinformación en el Golfo San Matías
The document analyzes a coordinated communication strategy involving the Argentine government, YPF, and a network of newly created digital media outlets to legitimize the Vaca Muerta Oil Sur (VMOS) project. It argues that these actors use 'pink slime' tactics—creating low-impact local news sites funded by advertising—to frame fossil fuel expansion as essential for regional progress and employment while omitting environmental risks and legal controversies. The study highlights the derogation of Law 3308, which previously protected the Golfo San Matías, and the use of the RIGI framework to protect corporate interests for 30 years.
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Document type: Case study
Colonial Logics in the Mobilization Mechanics of Climate Disinformation
The study argues that climate disinformation in the Global South is not a digital accident but a reactivation of 'colonial logics of mediated authority.' By analyzing 200 social media posts and socio-cultural indices across eleven former British colonies in Africa, the author develops a 'Model of Indirect Epistemic Domination.' This model posits that disinformation achieves legitimacy by using trusted intermediaries—such as religious leaders and social media influencers—to frame climate falsehoods as indigenous truths. Statistical analysis reveals that religiosity and media access are the strongest predictors of susceptibility to climate disinformation, while formal education and trust in science do not provide significant protection.
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Document type: Research paper
Climate Change Communication, Culture and Disinformation in Majuba Village, Eastern Cape
The report examines climate change perceptions in Majuba Village, Eastern Cape, finding that while residents are acutely aware of environmental decline, they often explain it through spiritual or moral frameworks due to a lack of local, trusted scientific information. It identifies radio as the most critical medium for communication due to high data costs and limited internet access. The study highlights that disinformation fills the void left by institutional silence and recommends establishing community radio in local dialects (isiXhosa, Sesotho, and Hlubi) and training local facilitators to bridge the gap between science and traditional beliefs.
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Document type: Report
Rain is Political and Other Climate Truths
The research identifies that climate disinformation in southwestern Uganda is propagated by authority figures—including politicians, religious leaders, and traditional elders—who exploit cultural norms and farmer vulnerability. Key narratives include framing climate change as a "Western agenda," carbon markets as a form of neo-colonialism, and environmental disasters as divine punishment. These narratives, combined with political greenwashing (such as promoting unsuitable eucalyptus trees or commercial crops without soil research), lead to agricultural failure, financial loss, and a distrust of scientific adaptation. The study emphasizes that countering these trends requires trust-building, youth engagement, and climate literacy programs delivered in local languages and relatable formats.
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Document type: Case study
Data Centers and its environmental impacts in Brazil: A brief overview
The document investigates the environmental footprint of hyperscale data centers in Brazil, arguing that the government's push to become a global hub via the REDATA regime overlooks significant ecological and social costs. It highlights the creation of 'green sacrifice zones' where marginalized communities bear the burden of infrastructure, the extractive nature of the mineral supply chain for hardware, and the high energy and water demands of AI. The paper also critiques the 'myth' of permanent job creation and the exclusion of environmental authorities from policy-making, while detailing the specific ecological trade-offs associated with solar, wind, and hydroelectric power used to fuel these facilities.
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Document type: Research paper
Online Challenges For Misinforming Latin America: narrative analysis of extreme weather in Brazil, Chile and Peru
The report examines climate misinformation following extreme weather events in Latin America, focusing on case studies in Brazil, Chile, and Peru. It finds that the high visibility, multi-causal nature, and emotional impact of these events make them ideal for actors to sow confusion, assign blame to scapegoats, and advance political agendas. In Brazil, a cyclone led to false claims about 'burst dams' to attack political opponents. In Chile, wildfires were framed as 'terrorist' arson to distract from a 14-year mega-drought. In Peru, Cyclone Yaku was falsely attributed to the HAARP project. The report concludes that these narratives often amplify existing political polarizations and rely on the misattribution of causes to hinder climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
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Document type: Report
journalist Field Guide: Navigating Climate Misinformation
The 'journalist Field Guide: Navigating Climate Misinformation' offers a framework for media professionals to handle deceptive climate content. It advocates for the 'truth sandwich' debunking method, warns against 'false balance' in reporting, and provides technical advice to avoid amplifying bad actors, such as using archive links instead of direct URLs. The guide integrates academic research on inoculation and strategic amplification while highlighting how social media algorithms and vested interests fuel climate myths.
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Document type: Guide