Paul Dickinson: Mistakes, Mistruths and Misinformation: Climate's biggest myths debunked

What I’m outraged and optimistic about this week

Dear Listener,

I just think it's extraordinary when you hear someone say, "oh, you know, it's been hotter before, it's been colder before". People forget there are university departments filled with the world’s best geologists and atmospheric scientists who've been studying the physics of climate change for decades. And their work is an extension of three or four generations worth of advanced research. The experts are clear: we have a major problem with our changing climate. Yet there are still so many people who shrug this off and say: “the climate has always changed.”

How is it possible that so many of us ignore the facts, or at least are not paying sufficient attention? It’s not an accident. There are dangerous myths out there about climate change, and they’re being pushed. Coordinated misinformation campaigns are actively shaping climate narratives, and the scientific consensus is frequently misinterpreted in the media. 

Given the stakes, I can't think of anything more concerning to all of us. It’s even led me to ask the question: should our movement be putting money into bots and trolls that push the truth? Maybe you’ve wondered the same thing?  

How to debunk climate myths is at the heart of this week’s episode. Spoiler alert …..

sacrificing ethics for the truth isn’t on our list. 

OUTRAGE + OPTIMISM ON THE CALENDAR

THIS WEEK: Mistakes, Mistruths, and Misinformation: Climate's biggest myths debunked. Isn’t climate change just part of a natural cycle? Weren’t CO2 levels much higher in the past? And, even if we should be worried, can one person really make a difference? We’ve all been confronted by someone who doesn’t believe the science - but how do we change their minds? A powerful report from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) outlines how deliberate misinformation campaigns are eroding public understanding and slowing climate progress. And as anyone working in or advocating for climate action knows, persistent myths and misunderstandings continue to thrive - even as the science gets clearer and the crisis more urgent.

Join Christiana and I as we tackle some of the most common (and frustrating) climate myths - exploring where they come from, why they’re misleading, and how to respond with clarity and confidence. Wherever you get your podcasts. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Trump’s War on Climate - and Maggie Baird on food justice and plant-based touring with Billie Eilish As record heat scorched the US, Trump’s government was making things dramatically worse. Last week we unpacked the devastating implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the reversal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding, and a potential US withdrawal from all UN agencies. It’s a full-blown climate backslide with global consequences.

Then, we had a conversation with the brilliant Maggie Baird - actor, producer, climate activist, and mother of Billie Eilish and Finneas. Maggie joined us backstage at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, where Billie’s shows are going plant-based thanks to Maggie’s food justice initiative Support + Feed. We talked about food, parenting, the power of culture to shift climate narratives, and how to stay hopeful - even when it feels like the world is falling apart. Listen back wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening,

All my best,

Paul

PS: STILL HERE? Everywhere on Earth, including our bodies and brains, is contaminated with plastic and the toxic chemicals used to make it. As world leaders gather in Geneva this week to agree a Global Plastics Treaty to cap plastic production, consider listening back to our episode with Ellen MacArthur: Action on Plastic Pollution. 

PPS: Remember you can leave us a voice note and any questions for us to answer on upcoming episodes via our SpeakPipe. We love hearing from you.