In the high-stakes race against climate chaos, where every fraction of a degree matters, an invisible war is being waged not in parliaments or boardrooms, but in the feeds of millions scrolling through their phones. New evidence reveals that oil-rich Gulf states are quietly orchestrating coordinated social media campaigns to erode public trust in climate science, spread disinformation, and stall global action. The targets? Arabic-speaking audiences across the Middle East and North Africa, where fossil fuel interests dominate both economies and political power.
An in-depth investigation by Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) and Code for Africa has exposed thousands of suspicious accounts on X (formerly Twitter), primarily based in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, that have been amplifying hashtags framing climate change as a hoax. The goal is clear: to shape online discourse in a way that undermines the urgency of transitioning away from fossil fuels and casts doubt on renewable energy as a credible path forward.
Three hashtags emerged as the central pillars of this digital push: #خدعة_التغير_المناخي (“#climate_change_hoax”), #كذبة_المناخ (“#climate_lie”), and #أجندة_2030 (“#2030_agenda”).
While hashtags are often seen as grassroots rallying cries, the investigation found that less than 6% of the posts were original content. The vast majority were reposts, quotes, or replies — a hallmark of coordinated campaigns designed to flood the algorithm, trick it into thinking a topic is organically trending, and present a false sense of widespread agreement.
Such manipulation exploits a psychological bias: when people believe “everyone” is saying something, they are more likely to consider it credible. This tactic has been a recurring feature of disinformation campaigns worldwide, from election interference to anti-vaccine narratives.
The data showed deliberate spikes in activity aligned with major environmental events. Post volumes surged between late May and mid-June 2024, coinciding with the Bonn Climate Change Conference (June 3–13) and World Environment Day (June 5).
This timing is no accident. It mirrors strategies used in other disinformation operations, where coordinated actors flood the zone during high-visibility moments when media coverage and public interest are already elevated.
Kuwait emerged as the most aggressive participant, generating nearly 1,700 posts that collectively reached over 5.2 million views. Saudi Arabia and Iraq trailed closely behind.
Many of these posts could be traced back to a central account, @1Kuwty (alias “STOP Age.2030”), which served as a hub for denialist material. At least 20 accounts repeatedly reposted identical content from this source, some in the exact same sequence and timestamps — a telltale sign of automation or semi-automation.
What makes this campaign especially alarming is the involvement of individuals with political influence and policy credentials.
In Kuwait, former Member of Parliament Shuaib Al-Muwaizri reposted materials from “STOP Age.2030,” which also promotes conspiracy theories about the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In Saudi Arabia, the disinformation was boosted by Mohammed Al-Sabban, a former senior advisor to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the nation’s lead negotiator at UN climate summits. In one April 2023 post, he claimed that climate change was a natural cycle unrelated to human activity.
The United Nations, NASA, and the IPCC affirm that burning fossil fuels is the primary driver of climate change. Carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere, raising global temperatures and causing the climate chaos we see today.
According to the IPCC, fossil fuels account for more than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, locking in extreme heat, storms, and sea-level rise if left unchecked.
Researchers identify several objectives behind these Gulf-based operations:
Arabic-speaking populations represent hundreds of millions in fossil fuel–producing nations also vulnerable to climate impacts like desertification and extreme heat. A 2022 Nature Climate Change study warns that MENA nations could face deadly heat waves beyond human survivability if emissions continue unchecked.
Climate denial from Gulf states aligns with a global uptick in organized climate disinformation documented by InfluenceMap and the Center for Countering Digital Hate. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X still monetize climate denial content despite policies against misinformation.
The Paris Agreement depends on nations strengthening targets over time. Disinformation undermines this by eroding public and political will to act, giving both democracies and autocracies cover to maintain the fossil status quo.
Combating climate chaos demands public trust in science, dismantling disinformation networks, and advancing better solutions:
Ignoring disinformation risks locking in decades of fossil dependency. Every year of delay means higher temperatures, more extreme weather, and greater harm to people and ecosystems.
The findings from ARIJ and Code for Africa are a warning: climate disinformation is a strategic weapon in the fossil fuel industry’s arsenal. Defeating it requires international cooperation, stronger platform regulation, and relentless public education. The truth is on our side — but it needs amplifiers too.