The aim is to question the effectiveness of renewable energy solutions. But above all, explains an alarming study by the Center for Combating Digital Hate – a British non-profit organization with offices in London and Washington DC – to make a leap in climate denial. Since the rise in temperatures is now undeniable, i.e 12 thousand videos published on YouTube the goal of the investigation is to normalize, that is, to explain that ultimately consequences of global warming they are harmless, if not even beneficial. Or different disciplines that study climate they are not reliable. Or again – the main theme of this wave of denial – that the proposed solutions do not work.
For example, volume focuses on total weight production of electric vehiclesit shifts the focus from vehicle consumption to production and life cycle (which, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency and many studies, remains lower even when vehicle production is accounted for).
This type of pseudo-content refers to up to 70% falsehoods contained in videos investigated and published on both platforms for a long time – in 2018 it was 35%: the investigation went in depth for up to six years (from 2018 to 2023) and also used Artificial Intelligence for sampling and classifying arguments used in clips published by 96 channels. Overall, these videos have accumulated something similar 325 million views. The group of experts who signed the report, led by Travis Coanprofessor of computational social sciences at the University of Exeter in England, underscore this repertoire update.
Ideas
Climate denier politicians and storms of ignorance
by Marco Tedesco*
In times of extreme events arising temperatures are undeniable even by the staunchest naysayers, the dynamic has changed: over the years there have actually been fewer videos in which the old saying cold or snow waves denying changes and increasing those that instead aim to make everything we experience somehow normal. Or, in any case, it is solved by the wrong means, such as e.g alarmism about the proliferation of wind turbines to produce renewable energy from the wind, which would lead – according to some denier organizations – toremoving half of the world’s forests. When estimates – as he also explains Financial Times – they say that switching to solar and wind energy would take up an area comparable to the current footprint of the complicated fossil industry sector from mining to refining to storage.
The survey also highlighted a number of specialized and very active – and highly watched – realities such as Blazemedia company with nearly two million subscribers to its YouTube channel founded by a former Fox News host, Glenn Beck. To be clear, according to this platform, global warming has nothing to do with the numerous wildfires that hit large parts of the United States every summer or even the one that leveled half of the United States.the island of Maui last August when the ancient city of Lahaina was destroyed. According to Beck, like many others, climate change is being used as an excuse to impose more control on citizens and to continue the bizarre theory of the Great Reset, which has become the new one over time from the post-Covid recovery plan presented in 2020. the cornerstone of a global conspiracy theory.
Psychology
Six ways scientists have explored how to counter climate misinformation
by Sandro Iannaccone
But what does this mean besides common delusions? Which, as he states Guardian Citing Survation research included in the report, it shows that a third of British teenagers believe climate change alarms are “overblown”. A percentage that rises to 37% among the most avid social media users, those who spend more than four hours a day. It is therefore essential, the CCHD explains, that governments invest more and better in communicating how to mitigate the effects of climate change and indeed how to try to combat harmful habits. It is difficult in a capitalist mechanism full of contradictions and hypocrisy. YouTube has been taking steps to prevent the monetization and distribution of similar content as we know it, often in very effective ways. Although, according to the research group, the repertoire is constantly changing and there are videos that manage to overcome these barriers. Or other, more subtle ones that escaped AI analysis.
“Scientists have won the battle to inform the public about climate change and its causes,” he explained Imran Ahmeddirector general of the CCDH – this is why those opposed have cynically changed focus by seeking to undermine confidence in the solutions and in the very science that underpins them.”
Conversation
Snow in California fuels deniers, but climatologists explain why it’s proof of climate change
by Cristina Nadotti
Other examples included in the report include Jordan Peterson (7.64 million subscribers) e PragerU (3.21 million). “It’s time for digital platforms to refuse to amplify or monetize this climate-denying content that destroys confidence in our collective ability to solve humanity’s greatest challenge,” Ahmed added.