The Social Media Observatory (SMO) examined the dynamics of climate discourse on social media for the Second Social Cohesion Report by the Research Institute Social Cohesion (RISC), finding that climate-sceptical positions and disinformation frequently occur in social media debates despite being less prevalent in society as a whole.
In his chapter, “Skeptizismus und Desinformation zu Klimawandel und Klimapolitik in sozialen Medien” [Scepticism and Disinformation on Climate Change and Climate Policy in Social Media], Dr Gregor Wiedemann uses data from the SMO and the Database of Public Speakers (DBöS) to examine the false information about climate change and climate policy that circulates on social media. He also looks at how this information spreads over time and the role played by political parties, public spokespersons and other users. Dr Wiedemann demonstrates that the repeated, systematic dissemination of climate-sceptical positions and disinformation is primarily found in accounts belonging to the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. However, user discussions on party tweets on the topic show high levels of climate scepticism across all parties. Although these positions are comparatively uncommon in society as a whole, they are particularly visible in social media debates.
Further information on the cohesion report is available, as is the full cohesion report in PDF format (only in German).
Wiedemann, G. (2025): Skeptizismus und Desinformation zu Klimawandel und Klimapolitik in sozialen Medien [Scepticism and Disinformation about Climate Change and Climate Policy in Social Media]. In: (Un)mögliche Transformation? Gesellschaftlicher Zusammenhalt und Einstellungen zum Klimawandel in Deutschland. Zweiter Zusammenhaltsbericht des Forschungsinstituts Gesellschaftlicher Zusammenhalt (FGZ) [(Im)possible Transformation? Social Cohesion and Attitudes towards Climate Change in Germany’. Second Social Cohesion Report of the Research Institute Social Cohesion (RISC)], edited by Nils Teichler, Olaf Groh-Samberg and Jean-Yves Gerlitz. Leipzig: Research Institute Social Cohesion, pp. 90–99.
https://doi.org/10.8216/39ea-ks04
Download the chapter as a PDF in German.