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Medical professionals have been called upon to take a leading role in combating misinformation about climate change and its health risks, as experts warn that public understanding is being undermined by false and misleading narratives. In an opinion piece published in The BMJ, Professor Andy Haines and colleagues argue that the medical community has a crucial responsibility to dispel myths and ensure the public is well-informed about the real dangers climate change poses to health.
Misinformation—whether unintentional or deliberately deceptive—has long been a challenge in the medical field, but the rapid spread of false information about both public health and climate change has reached alarming levels. Just as misinformation about COVID-19 eroded public trust in science and health interventions, disinformation related to climate change is shaping public perception and influencing policy decisions in harmful ways.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly flagged climate change as the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century. Yet, many people’s understanding of this issue is clouded by persistent myths. Some believe climate change is a political hoax, a natural phenomenon that isn’t influenced by human activity, or that its risks have been exaggerated, according to the experts.
“Disinformation, often driven by vested interests such as fossil fuel companies, perpetuates these myths, hindering the public’s ability to support necessary policy changes,” the authors state. The spread of such disinformation, they warn, can have serious consequences—both for individual health and for global climate action.
Social media platforms, where information can be rapidly disseminated to vast audiences, have become key channels for the spread of health-related climate disinformation. The dynamics of misinformation that were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic—where false claims quickly escalated into a global crisis—are now being mirrored in the climate change debate. Such misinformation can foster public indifference or outright resistance to climate action, creating a significant barrier to progress.
“The amplification of this misinformation by influential figures and networks entrenches these false beliefs, making it even harder to shift public opinion and push for urgent climate action,” the experts warn. They also highlight the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in exacerbating the problem, noting that AI-driven algorithms can help to rapidly propagate false claims, further muddying the waters of public discourse.
Given the potential consequences, the authors stress that the medical community has a critical role to play in combating climate misinformation. By using their expertise and credibility, medical professionals can help to inform the public about the serious health risks associated with climate change and advocate for science-based solutions.
“The medical community must adopt a multifaceted approach to this issue,” the experts conclude. “This includes robust communication strategies, collaborating with tech companies to curb the spread of false information, educating the public, engaging in policy advocacy, and building community trust to mitigate the impact of climate misinformation.”
In light of the growing challenges posed by misinformation in both climate change and health, experts argue that medical professionals must step forward as leaders in the fight to protect public understanding and promote effective climate action.
Further reading: Opinion: We need to tackle the growing threat of mis- and disinformation about climate change and health, The BMJ (2024). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.q2187.
