Over the past few years, misinformation about climate change and our ocean has been spreading across news and social media, and many believe it will only get worse. In my work towards ocean climate solutions, I have seen how misinformation can delay climate action and impact policy decisions that affect our ocean. We need to tackle misinformation to push through vital climate solutions, and we can all be a part of this important work. 

What is misinformation? 

Misinformation is false or incorrect information—essentially, getting the facts wrong—that is spread to the public. Disinformation, a form of misinformation, is false or incorrect information spread deliberately by dishonest actors with the intent to create distrust in the public for their own gain. 

Misinformation can take the form of disseminating completely false information or sharing only half the story or by conflating unrelated facts that make a story feel true. Misinformation is similar to gossip. It’s sticky. It’s easy to remember. And when it comes to the ocean, it’s often simpler than the truth.

How does misinformation impact our ocean? 

For us at an evidence-based organization, misinformation is very concerning. Ocean systems are dynamic, and it takes an enormous amount of data to understand them. This data can be complex and nuanced, making it difficult to communicate. Organizations like Ocean Conservancy directly study and work with other trusted institutions and agencies to analyze and interpret ocean data to ensure the public and its leaders understand what’s happening in our ocean and what is threatening its health. 

Yet, misinformation can affect our ability to protect the ocean and support our coastal communities. Decision-makers, whether at the local or federal level, need accurate information to make science-based decisions and create policies that will protect marine life and communities. If policymakers, and the people they represent and are accountable to, receive unfounded claims, our leaders may spend unnecessary taxpayer dollars or enact policies that are ineffective or even harmful to protecting the ocean. 

Take, for example, offshore wind. 

Offshore wind is a vital component of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels in order to clean up our air, land and ocean from pollution. It provides jobs and economic growth to coastal communities as well as clean, reliable energy.

Over the past year, anti-offshore wind groups, many of which are funded by fossil fuel interests, have been spreading misinformation about offshore wind. They have made false claims that offshore wind is to blame for recent whale deaths along the East Coast. These claims have been easy to make because offshore wind is a new concept by many who care about the ocean. Yet, there is no scientific evidence linking offshore wind to whale strandings. In fact, increases in whale deaths pre-date offshore wind development in the United States, and researchers have found definitive evidence that vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglement are the top drivers of these tragic strandings.  

This misinformation is distracting from true efforts to protect the ocean and marine life from the long-term consequences of climate change. With smart, science-based policy, we can build offshore wind responsibly—providing for communities while protecting wildlife. And we should continue to research and monitor this clean ocean-energy source to increase our understanding and avoid potential future impacts on marine mammals and other ocean wildlife.

What can I do to combat misinformation?

The good news is, we can fight back against misinformation. We invite you, as an ocean lover, to help us combat misinformation by using your savvy investigation skills to spot false claims and address misinformation. 

1. Be aware that misinformation is out there and growing. Sometimes all it takes is a watchful eye to catch false claims, especially in regard to hot-button issues like climate change and the ocean. In fact, once you start looking for misinformation, you may be surprised by how much is out there.
2. Read beyond the headline. Headlines are intended to pull in the reader, and they often do this by making a far-reaching claim meant to trigger an emotional response. But to really understand, you may need more details, which will only be found in the body of the article. Note that writers often will include the unfounded claims at the beginning of an article and only balance it out with what science actually tells us at the very end.
3. Look at the source of the information you are reading. When you see a startling negative claim about the ocean, look closely at who is making the claim. Does the person or group have a vested interest in hurting the public’s trust? Does the person or group have a trusted voice on the topic? Is the claim backed by data that was gathered with scientific rigor? If the source is questionable, it may be misinformation.
4. Verify the claim. If a claim about the ocean is made by a person or group you do not know, confirm it is true with a trusted organization. Check here on the Ocean Conservancy blog for information or sign up for updates, or look to these other trusted organizations that bring evidence-based science to policy such as the Marine Mammal Commission, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Natural Resources Defense Council and National Wildlife Federation.
5. Do not share the misinformation, and help others know it’s false as well. The biggest way you can fight back against ocean misinformation is to stop it in its tracks. If you find misinformation, do not share it. If you are confident enough to speak out about it, remember that correcting people is delicate. Try to meet people on common ground, such as our collective desire to protect the ocean, and offer trusted resources where they can learn more—like Ocean Conservancy.

If you want more resources on offshore wind in the United States, visit Ocean Conservancy’s clean ocean-energy hub today.