‘Re-’ Interdisciplinary Network

...until now we have lacked recognition from key entities like the IPCC, UNFCCC and COP on the dangers posed by a muddied, polarising information space. Bad actors are using a tried and tested playbook to weaken public mandates and create confusion on the viable solutions...

“We have a clear taxonomy of harm for other issue areas, including public health and electoral integrity, which have shown how such content translates into real-world impacts for both individuals and societies. While the climate sector has long argued the same...

For the first time, #IPCC has highlighted the threat that mis-/disinfo pose to climate action - something our coalition has analysed and reported on since 2020. In a press release circulated today w/ partners like @consciousadnet @foe_us @CCDHate and @ClimateSSN, @ISDglobal said:

When spikes do occur, they are driven by small media flurries or public statements, rather than ground-up discussion from users around this cause. The first on 4-5 Feb relates to Farage’s comments on GB News, then pushed by Darren Grimes and others to try and create a controversy

Activity has since petered out to negligible volumes - around 50 posts per day. This is scraping for any tweets that contains “net” “zero” and “referendum” in some form. Even with a growing media soapbox, these actors cannot generate interest online for more than a few days.

In short, DO NOT GIVE THIS IDEA OXYGEN. The Net Zero Scrutiny Group, Net Zero Watch, CAR26, Reform UK and their wider orbit of affiliates have a clear strategy - they are trying (and arguably succeeding) to manufacture outrage about a referendum and then retrofit public support.

The largest spike on 7 March maps onto - guess what! - Farage formally announcing his campaign and the aftermath. It was amplified by Oakeshott and figures like Toby Young, but the most-shared post in this period actually OPPOSES the referendum (Marina Purkiss, 1312 retweets).

The 2nd on 15 Feb was pushed by Net Zero Watch and journalist Isabell Oakeshott, again relating to a segment with Farage on GB News. Oakeshott was romantically involved with Reform UK leader Richard Tice, profiled in this excellent exposé from @DeSmogUK. desmog.com/2022/03/10/nigel-…

There is *no parallel interest* evidenced across social media. I repeat, despite continual profiling in the mainstream media, our data suggests the public are either uninterested or actively criticising the idea online. The graph below shows all mentions since Jan 1 2022…

There is a lot of noise in the UK about a #NetZero referendum, largely fuelled by high-vis pundits like Nigel Farage and groups like Net Zero Watch pushing the narrative on GB News, talkRADIO, The Sun etc. @ISDglobal has been monitoring this closely since COP26 and can reveal👇