Attacks on indigenous people legitimized by climate disinformation, study reveals

Tactics include fabricating IP consent, greenwashing, false climate solutions, deflecting accountability.

Climate disinformation in the Philippines, aside from distorting public perception of climate change, can also be used to justify attacks against Indigenous Peoples, according to a new study.

The 2026 report, “Climate Disinformation in the Philippines: Legitimising Attacks on Indigenous Peoples,” examined how false and misleading climate narratives are used to undermine IPs, weaken environmental resistance, and protect vested interests. It was produced by Asia Centre in partnership with International Media Support.

The study defines climate disinformation as false content intentionally spread “to mislead people about climate change” for “political, financial, or ideological gain.”

In the Philippines, IPs comprise around 15% of the population, or approximately 17 million people, as of 2024. The Igorot, Lumad, and Mangyan are among the country’s major Indigenous groups.

Key forms of climate disinformation

The study identified four key forms of climate disinformation.

The first is the fabrication of IP consent. Under the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent, Indigenous communities have the right to participate in decisions involving projects that affect their ancestral lands. However, the study found cases where supposed approvals came from hired Indigenous representatives or resulted from unclear community consultations.

The second is greenwashing, where corporations portray themselves as “environmentally conscious” by highlighting “green efforts” to divert attention from their harmful practices—or framing environmentally damaging activities as climate-friendly.

The third is the promotion of false climate solutions. According to the study, some initiatives create narratives of environmental progress yet “prioritise commercial interests over genuine mitigation.” These include reforestation efforts that fail to address underlying causes of environmental degradation and misleading portrayals of fossil fuels as sustainable solutions.

The fourth is the deflection of accountability, where governments and other actors retreat from environmental commitments or promote climate conspiracy narratives that frame environmental defenders as threats.

Impacts of climate disinformation

The study found that climate disinformation can contribute to concrete harms experienced by Philippine IPs, including intimidation, forced displacement, red-tagging, and violence.

Intimidation and displacement can result in collective distress as communities lose access to ancestral lands, livelihoods, and cultural practices tied to their identity.

Red-tagging can undermine Indigenous resistance efforts by portraying community leaders and environmental defenders as security threats. According to the study, these can lead to false charges, financial strain, and even physical violence.

James Gomez, Asia Centre Regional Director, told radar that citizens can become both victims and “unknowing conspirators” of climate disinformation, making it important to evaluate climate-related information before sharing it and rely on credible, evidence-based sources.

“This will greatly reduce the reach of false narratives that distort public understanding of climate change and undermine informed decision-making,” Gomez said.

Recommendations for stakeholders

To address climate disinformation, the study also outlined recommendations for governments, civil society groups, media organizations, technology companies, and IP communities.

These include aligning government development policies with Indigenous Peoples’ rights and ancestral domain protection, as well as strengthening monitoring of consultation processes and climate and development projects.

The full study can be found here.

READ: