Senate Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy (Submission 67)

The UTS Centre for Media Transition Submission on Information Integrity and Climate Change to the Senate Select Committee highlights the urgent need for a systemic approach to information integrity, especially regarding climate change, emphasising that misinformation and disinformation undermine public trust and effective climate action. The submission draws on recent research, including the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) reports, to show how denialism has evolved into strategic skepticism, with powerful actors using narrative frames to delay climate action and promote uncertainty. It critiques Australia's fragmented regulatory response, advocating for a comprehensive accountability framework for digital platforms and cross-platform media standards, while referencing the EU's Digital Services Act as a model for ecosystem-based regulation. The submission stresses the importance of media and scientific literacy education, recommending integrated curriculum initiatives and coalition-building to strengthen resilience against climate misinformation.