Climate Disinformation Can Impact Indigenous People’s Work – Report
Asia Centre’s first of seven report reveals that climate disinformation puts indigenous people at risk of proper decision-making and action to protect themselves, urging the media to ensure circulation of accurate information
Failure to address climate disinformation could hinder indigenous people’s agency from taking meaningful action against climate change and deforestation, a report found, suggesting that the media should safeguard the circulation of accurate information.
According to Asia Centre researcher Lai Wen-Ling, rapid digital transformation in Cambodia has fuelled the circulation of general disinformation, which in turn has led to the specific dissemination of climate disinformation.
She highlighted four forms of climate disinformation: state-aligned one-sided climate discourses, false climate solutions, corporate greenwashing stances and denial of deforestation narratives.
Collectively, the climate disinformation reflects broader dynamics in which official messaging obscures the environmental and social consequences of development projects, suppresses critical debate and sidelines Indigenous and local community voices, Asia Centre said in a statement on Monday.
Sangeetha Amarthalingam
