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ClimateQuiet 12d · day 13

WHO-linked civil society group calls climate disinformation a health threat

A new report urges 194 countries to treat climate disinformation as a public-health risk, calling it a 'hybrid weapon of war.'

newest coverage 12d agosummary written 7d ago4 pieces24 likes & upvotes NewswiresMastodonBluesky

What to know

  • A WHO-linked civil society report urges 194 countries to treat climate disinformation as a public health threat, not just a communications problem.
  • The report says disinformation undermines emergency warnings and public-health guidance and delays action on air pollution, clean energy and fossil fuels.
  • It builds on an EU-backed declaration against climate-related fake news launched at COP30 in Belém.
  • Coverage is early-stage, with limited public reaction so far beyond social-media sharing of the Euronews report.

WHO Civil Society Working Group on Climate and Health Author of the reportWHO member states Target of the report's recommendations

WHO-linked civil society group calls climate disinformation a health threat
euronews.com

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in 3h at Oct 27, 7 AM; 4 pieces over 13 days (1 article · 3 posts) Oct 26, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 26, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 26, 4 PM — quietOct 26, 7 PM — quietOct 26, 10 PM — quietOct 27, 1 AM — quietOct 27, 4 AM — quietOct 27, 7 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 1, Bluesky 1Oct 27, 10 AM — quietOct 27, 1 PM — quietOct 27, 4 PM — quietOct 27, 7 PM — quietOct 27, 10 PM — quietOct 28, 1 AM — quietOct 28, 4 AM — quietOct 28, 7 AM — quietOct 28, 10 AM — quietOct 28, 1 PM — quietOct 28, 4 PM — quietOct 28, 7 PM — quietOct 28, 10 PM — quietOct 29, 1 AM — quietOct 29, 4 AM — quietOct 29, 7 AM — quietOct 29, 10 AM — quietOct 29, 1 PM — quietOct 29, 4 PM — quietOct 29, 7 PM — quietOct 29, 10 PM — quietOct 30, 1 AM — quietOct 30, 4 AM — quietOct 30, 7 AM — quietOct 30, 10 AM — quietOct 30, 1 PM — quietOct 30, 4 PM — quietOct 30, 7 PM — quietOct 30, 10 PM — quietOct 31, 1 AM — quietOct 31, 4 AM — quietOct 31, 7 AM — quietOct 31, 10 AM — quietOct 31, 1 PM — quietOct 31, 4 PM — quietOct 31, 7 PM — quietOct 31, 10 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 3 AM — quietNov 1, 6 AM — quietNov 1, 9 AM — quietNov 1, 12 PM — quietNov 1, 3 PM — quietNov 1, 6 PM — quietNov 1, 9 PM — quietNov 2, 12 AM — quietNov 2, 3 AM — quietNov 2, 6 AM — quietNov 2, 9 AM — quietNov 2, 12 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 6 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quiet 1–23
Oct 27Oct 28Oct 29Oct 30Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6now · 11:26 AM ET
  1. 3

    Report coverage spreads across social platforms

    The Euronews article and its headline circulate further on Bluesky and Mastodon, amplifying the report's call for member states to treat information integrity as a health policy issue.

  2. 2

    Reader reacts that the threat is decades old, not emerging

    A social media commenter pushes back on the framing of climate disinformation as a developing risk, arguing it has already been harmful for decades.

    “"Could be"? It has been for at least the last 30 bloody years!!!”
    — kim_harding@mastodon.scot
  3. 1

    Report calls on 194 countries to recognise the threat

    Health and civil society organisations urge WHO member states to make information integrity a core part of climate and health policy, preparedness and response, saying vested interests try to 'sow doubt and confusion.'

    “Climate disinformation is not only a problem of false rumours and mistruths; it is also a problem of power, incentives and accountability.”
    — Report, 'Protecting Health in the Age of Climate Disinformation', WHO Civil Society Working Group on Climate and Health · source
    1. 1 outlet ‘Hybrid weapon of war’: Why climate disinformation could be a growing public health threat

      first by Euronews, 13d ago

  4. background

    WHO civil society group publishes climate disinformation report — The WHO Civil Society Working Group on Climate and Health releases 'Protecting Health in the Age of Climate Disinformation,' described as the first health-community assessment of how climate disinformation harms human health worldwide, from blunting emergency warnings to delaying air-pollution and clean-energy policy.

  5. background

    EU-backed declaration against climate fake news launched at COP30 — A landmark declaration to crack down on climate-related fake news and conspiracy theories was launched at the COP30 summit in Belém, setting the stage for the new report.