Australia is locked in a clean energy disinformation arms race.
Australia finds itself embroiled in a contentious battle over clean energy, resembling a chaotic schoolyard fight rather than a reasoned debate among adults.
If you’ve checked social media, turned on the tv or scrolled youtube recently you’ve probably seen an example of misinformation or outright disinformation about clean energy such as wind, solar or nuclear energy.
But as the Coalition was making its long awaited nuclear energy announcement the disinformation machines were already churning out articles, slogans and memes. Tired old tropes like three eyed fish and glowing green goo from the Simpsons were being packaged up and presented as evidence that nuclear energy was dangerous and incompatible with Australia.
What made this so strange is that this disinformation was coming from individuals, organisations and politicians who have fought for years against disinformation on wind farms, solar panels and electric vehicles - only days earlier running damage control following an ABC Four Corners program about community backlash and disinformation against wind energy.
So what’s happened? Well politics of course. No matter how much we hear ‘listen to the science’, when push comes to shove politics is trumping science. There are legitimate criticisms to be levelled at the Coalition’s nuclear announcement but they are diminished when wrapped in the cloak of cartoonish disinformation.
“We need to collectively take a deep breath and return to the facts if we are to navigate the challenge of electrifying our economy with clean energy”
(pictured: Various mis/disinformation from a range of individuals and organisations about clean energy sources)
The question is, how do we get ourselves out of this mess? It’s going to require leadership which recognises the urgency of taking climate action and the corrosiveness that disinformation has on our society as a whole.
“We need to collectively take a deep breath and return to the facts if we are to navigate the challenge of electrifying our economy with clean energy”, said Tyrone D'Lisle, one of WePlanet’s lead campaigners.
This means the organisations, unions and politicians who understand the urgent need for climate action and the clean energy transition need to commit to facts over mis/dis-information. This will give them legitimacy to speak out against bad actors who use disinformation to deliberately divide our community and delay climate action. It will ensure they are a trusted source of factual information.
Because right now people are feeling overwhelmed and confused about who to trust. This means they are tuning out right as we need them to be tuning in and getting involved in the solutions to address climate change and build a better world.
A better future is possible and we’re only hurting ourselves by engaging in disinformation and political games.
Media inquiries:
Tyrone D'Lisle
+61 433 631 693