The Dangers of Disinformation

Why take action?

• Disinformation is the greatest threat facing the world, according to Policy Horizons Canada. In as little as three years, people may be unable to tell what's true and what's not;

• Disinformation undermines public trust in science, experts and institutions, hindering society's ability to make informed decisions and support ambitious policies;

• Well-funded groups, often linked to the fossil fuel industry, intentionally spread misleading information to protect their economic interests at the expense of the common good;

• Reliable, scientifically-based information is essential to enable citizens and decision-makers to take effective action.

We live in an era of destabilization, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to discern truth from lies, where differences in perspectives quickly turn into polarizing debates, and where convictions of all kinds sometimes take precedence over reason, or even science.

We are currently experiencing troubling issues of misinformation, disinformation and polarization.

With all the benefits that the digital technologies and innovations seen in recent decades have brought us – internet access at our fingertips, ultra-powerful search engines, omnipresent social networks and artificial intelligence taking on a greater role every day – there have also come challenges and threats that have proven highly problematic. For more and more people, what we believe and confidence in the truth have become less and less certain. We are being influenced by powerful, profit-driven interests, all too often to the detriment of society and the planet.

While climate disinformation is not a new concept, the digital context that is currently fueling it poses a major threat to the socio-ecological transition Équiterre has been working on for over 30 years.

We've taken on the challenge of helping to understand the phenomena of disinformation and polarization, so that Quebecers can better protect themselves against these influential forces, and help others do the same.

Politics has become a highly polarized arena. From the beginning, Équiterre has worked to promote ambitious and effective climate policies. Therefore, we are striving to protect the achievements of the environmental movement from the vagaries of polarization by helping the public to better discern what is true from what is false, for example with regards to the carbon tax.

We are working with the UNESCO-PREV Chair to identify radicalization factors and tools to protect against disinformation, and with experts to develop awareness-raising events. This is how Équiterre is shedding light on these issues.

1. Help people understand disinformation, the forces that drive it, and how to protect themselves from it.

2. Counter climate disinformation to protect climate policies that promote or enable the socio-environmental transition.