The danger of disinformation

• According to Policy Horizons Canada, disinformation is the greatest threat facing the world. 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, many of which are 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 a destabilizing era, 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 can often take precedence over reason, or even science.

We're dealing with the troubling issues of misinformation, disinformation and polarization.

With all the benefits that digital technologies and innovation have brought us in recent decades – internet access at our fingertips, ultra-powerful search engines, omnipresent social networks and powerful artificial intelligence – there have also come challenges and threats that have proven highly problematic. For more and more people, what we believe and our 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.

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

We've taken on the challenge to create more awareness about disinformation and polarization, so that Quebecers can better protect themselves against these influential forces, and help others do the same.

Political issues have become highly polarized. Équiterre has always worked to promote ambitious and effective climate policies. We're therefore seeking to protect the achievements of the environmental movement from disinformation and polarization by helping the public to better discern what is true from what is false, for example with regards to the carbon tax.

Équiterre is also helping to shed light on these issues by working with the UNESCO-PREV Chair to identify radicalization factors and tools to protect against disinformation, and with other experts on awareness events.

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

2. Counter climate disinformation to protect the climate policies that are enabling the socio-environmental transition.