1. The 'd-words' v the planet

Trending

How much do disinformation and new forms of climate change denial threaten the fight to save the planet?

In the first episode of a special new series running around the COP26 climate conference, BBC Trending speaks to a leading scientist who says the battle to prevent catastrophe may depend on winning the information war.

Professor Michael Mann first made headlines in 1998 when he published the pioneering “hockeystick graph” which showed how carbon emissions caused by human activity are harming the planet.

Since then mounting evidence has made it harder for the fossil fuel industry and its allies to deny the existence of man-made climate change.

The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that we are now at a turning point where only urgent and dramatic action can save humanity.

In November world leaders will gather at in Scotland to agree targets for cutting admissions. Many observers regard it as our last best chance to avert disaster.

Professor Mann argues that in the face of this reality, what he calls “the forces of inaction” have developed new strategies to try to prevent humanity from kicking its addiction to oil, gas and coal.

So does the future of life on earth depend on understanding the playbook of these new climate war tactics?