Journalist Field Guide: Navigating Climate Misinformation
This guide has been created as a resource for journalists and editors covering topics related to climate change to help better understand and respond to misinformation.
It is focused on best practices, including psychology-based communications techniques and web-based tools. It features visual examples showing some key dos and don’ts for journalists and editors to consider to avoid fanning the flames of misinformation and getting gamed by grifters.
In detail, this report includes:
- The Best Practices section focuses on visual examples showing some key dos and don’ts for journalists and editors to consider
- The Academic Literature Review delves into the field of research that informs the Best Practices in this guide. Most references in this section are in the endnotes.
- The Case Studies section summarizes reports published by academics and advocacy organizations that help show the nature and impact of misinformation online, mostly related to climate change.
- The Additional References section offers further sources of expertise that journalists and editors can rely on for more learning.
Please click to see the full report.
Also, some of the recommended Best Practices from the report are contained in a 3-page tip sheet.
These best practices are based on a robust literature review in the guide, incorporating material published by psychologists, data scientists, academic researchers, and other experts in disinformation and misinformation.
Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD), defines climate dis/misinformation as content that undermines the existence or impacts of climate change, the unequivocal human influence on climate change, and the need for corresponding urgent action.