The webinar brought together international experts and highlighted, through key remarks, how climate disinformation affects science, democracy, and the right to academic freedom
On April 15, 2026, the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA) held a webinar to launch the report “Scientific and Climate Denialism and Disinformation as Threats to Academic Freedom in the Americas”, a study that analyzes the growth of these phenomena in the region and their impacts on the production and circulation of knowledge.
The opening remarks were delivered by Camilla Croso, executive director of CAFA, who emphasized the importance of the report in a context of expanding scientific denialism: “For us, it is essential to foster reflection on the relationship between scientific denialism, the questioning of the right to science, and attacks on academic freedom. This is a growing issue in the Americas and globally.”
Camilla Croso also highlighted that the report places particular emphasis on climate denialism, in dialogue with recent debates surrounding COP discussions held in Brazil.
From scientific consensus to organized denial
The report’s lead author, José Bortoluci (Maranta), underscored a central paradox: despite a broad scientific consensus on climate change, denialism and disinformation are on the rise. “Even with a growing scientific consensus, we are witnessing a strong resurgence of denialism and disinformation, with direct impacts on societies’ ability to respond to the climate emergency.”
According to Bortoluci, the study examines how these dynamics are intertwined with the rise of authoritarian political actors and how they directly affect academic freedom.
Beyond denial: the evolving strategies of disinformation
A key contribution of the report is its typology of denialism. Moving beyond outright denial, Bortoluci explained how new, more subtle forms of disinformation have gained prominence: “Literal denialism—denying the existence of climate change or its human causes—has lost ground to more sophisticated forms of disinformation that aim to create doubt, delay action, or divert the debate.”
These include climate skepticism, the deliberate postponement of action, “climate catastrophism,” and disinformation linked to extreme events—strategies that operate across global, national, and local levels.
Academic freedom under pressure in a changing world
Eve Darian-Smith (University of California, Irvine) placed the discussion within a broader global shift marked by democratic backsliding and weakening environmental commitments: “We are in a very different moment from the Paris Agreement. We see increasing authoritarianism and declining environmental protections, and these trends are deeply connected.”
She emphasized that connecting climate science to academic freedom is both urgent and often overlooked: “This report is essential because it connects climate denialism with the defense of academic freedom—a link that is often overlooked.”
Climate justice at the center of the debate
Darian-Smith also drew attention to the unequal impacts of climate change, highlighting the need to foreground justice: “The impacts of climate change disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Environmental justice must be at the center of this conversation.”
Disinformation as power: the battle for communication
Frederico Assis (UFMG; COP30 Special Envoy for Information Integrity) stressed that confronting disinformation requires strategic communication efforts: “If we do not win the battle of communication, all efforts on climate action may be lost.”
He also pointed to the structural drivers behind disinformation: “Climate disinformation is not an externality—it is a business. It generates profit and power while eroding trust in science and paralyzing decision-making.”
The event, moderated by Carolina SantaCruz (International Science Council), brought together participants from across the region and strengthened dialogue on one of the most pressing challenges for democracy and science today.
Knowledge, democracy, and the urgency of action
The report is based on an exploratory qualitative approach, including a systematic literature review, dialogues with 14 experts, and comparative case studies in Brazil, the United States, and other Latin American countries.
It proposes a typology of climate denialism and disinformation, identifies key actors behind its spread, and outlines strategies to address these challenges through public policy, civil society action, scientific communication, and education.
Ultimately, the report warns that scientific denialism directly threatens academic freedom—understood as the right to produce, share, and defend knowledge without interference—and highlights the growing number of attacks on scientists across the region.
👉 Report available:
Scientific and Climate Denialism and Disinformation as Threats to Academic Freedom in the Americas