For a decade, I have fought to clean up London’s air, but as we enter London’s Climate Action Week, I am confronting a different, equally invisible pollutant: environmental disinformation. Lately, our capital has been targeted by a surge of vicious lies, painting our diverse, liberal, and thriving city as a lawless dystopia. This is not organic frustration; it is a coordinated campaign driven by bots, algorithms designed to prioritize rage, and bad-faith actors who despise what London represents. When we push for progress, specifically regarding climate change, these forces use it as a focal point for a broader culture war, seeking to paralyze our collective ability to act by poisoning the well of public discourse.
The real-world consequences of this digital manipulation are staggering. When we expanded the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), we faced a sophisticated, funded campaign of misinformation, including conspiracy theories about “totalitarian climate lockdowns” and “15-minute cities.” This rhetoric has moved beyond screen-time outrage to spark domestic terrorism, including an incident where a radicalized individual used a homemade bomb to target a camera, endangering a nearby child. This isn’t just “debate”—it is a cynical business model where AI and bot networks amplify falsehoods to confuse the public, creating a climate where a lie can circle the globe before the truth can even get out of bed.
We must clarify the distinction between healthy, democratic disagreement and the systematic destruction of shared reality. I welcome debate on how to approach the climate crisis; that is how we refine policy and move forward as a society. However, what we are witnessing is an attempt to manufacture doubt and deny the reality of the crisis we face, effectively sabotaging our ability to make informed decisions. According to recent research from C40, nearly half of all online engagement regarding air quality and low-emission zones is driven by bot activity. This orchestrated noise is designed to make Londoners feel alienated and afraid, threatening to stall vital progress on public health and environmental security.
If we allow this disinformation to dictate the narrative, we risk paying a heavy price in human life and long-term stability. Climate change already presents existential threats to our city—from dangerous air quality and flooding to energy instability. When we tear apart the consensus needed for climate action, we don’t just lose time; we lose our grip on the ability to prevent future public health crises. It is the ordinary, everyday Londoner who suffers when we become too paralyzed or divided to enact the policies that keep our children healthy and our streets livable.
The fight back must be as organized as the disinformation is. Because cities are often the front lines of climate change, they must also be the leaders in the counter-movement. I am proud to announce “City Climate Facts,” an initiative developed by C40 to help global cities identify, expose, and effectively neutralize climate lies. We have already proven this model works: despite the massive disinformation campaign against Ulez, we held our ground with data and transparency. Today, nitrogen dioxide levels are within legal limits nearly two centuries earlier than predicted without action. Ulez has become a success story, showing that when we prioritize truth over noise, the environment—and our health—win.
Looking ahead, we must recognize that the integrity of our democracy and the physical health of our citizens are inextricably linked. We aren’t just battling over tax policy or transport zones; we are battling for the survival of informed, science-based governance. Online platforms currently profit from outrage, incentivizing the destruction of the truth, and we cannot afford to let them succeed. By standing against these coordinated attempts to deceive, we are doing more than just protecting the climate; we are defending our citizens’ well-being and the freedom to forge a sustainable, secure, and democratic future for everyone who calls this city home.