LASER TALK: The State and Spread of Climate Disinformation in Canada (January 2025)

The State and Spread of Climate Disinformation in Canada (January 2025)

In January 2025, the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, , an interdisciplinary research hub at McGill University, released its latest report, Climate Obstruction: On the State and Spread of Climate Disinformation in Canada .

The report analyzes the prevalence of climate disinformation in Canada and examines how climate delay narratives—messaging that acknowledges climate change but downplays urgency and solutions—shape public perception and policy.

Key Findings:

• While 74% of Canadians acknowledge climate change, fewer than half believe it directly affects their lives today.
• Climate delay narratives are widely accepted:
  • The “hypocrisy and elitism” narrative (framing climate advocates as elitist and hypocritical) was the most persuasive (67%).
  • Over half support the “ethical oil” argument, which claims Canada’s oil is more ethical than that of nations with poor human rights records.
  • Narratives about Indigenous empowerment are co-opted to justify fossil fuel extraction.
• Social media fuels disinformation, with major platforms allowing its spread with little transparency or accountability.

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