Climate disinformation leaves lasting mark as world heats

By DAVID KLEPPER
Associated Press

Wildfires, floods and soaring temperatures have made climate change real to many Americans. Yet a sizeable number continue to dismiss the scientific consensus that human activity is to blame. That’s in part because of a decades-long campaign by fossil fuel companies to muddy the facts and promote fringe explanations. Now, even as those same companies embrace renewable energy, the legacy of that climate disinformation remains, posing a challenge to any meaningful attempt to mitigate the damage. Meanwhile, the public’s distrust of scientists and scientific institutions has widened to encompass vaccines and public health measures seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.