As North America enters Danger Season 2026, spanning from May to October, the region braces for severe climate impacts, heightening the urgency to combat disinformation proliferating on social media and other platforms. This period underscores the importance of the “safety chain,” a concept aimed at ensuring preparedness, understanding, and recovery from climate-exacerbated extreme weather and disasters.
Under the Trump administration, particularly actions led by the Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, numerous “safety chain” links have been compromised. Funding cuts, dismissal of scientists, lack of oversight, evasion of accountability, and the spread of disinformation have all contributed to a weakened response framework, making Danger Season “triply dangerous” when paired with an anti-science governmental stance.
What is the “safety chain?”
The “safety chain” refers to a series of protective measures during Danger Season and climate-aggravated disasters. It relies on accurate data to provide clear weather forecasts, which, when communicated by trusted sources, enhance public understanding, allowing individuals and communities to adequately prepare and respond.
Who’s breaking the safety chain?
Efforts to dismantle federal climate research under the Trump administration have impeded understanding of our climate system. This disruption adversely affects weather forecasting and is compounded by disinformation echoing fossil fuel industry narratives. President Trump’s refusal to correct erroneous hurricane forecasts, exemplified during “SharpieGate,” further weakens public trust in science communication.
FEMA, under Trump, faced a tumultuous period with leadership changes causing a loss of expertise and raising concerns about the agency’s readiness. President Trump has been criticized for delaying disaster assistance to certain states and attempting to cancel FEMA initiatives like the BRIC program. Although court orders have restored some funding, FEMA’s resources remain strained, necessitating potential supplemental appropriations from Congress.
Despite the expected milder Atlantic hurricane season, FEMA’s disaster response capabilities have been weakened due to job cuts and resource reductions, challenging its ability to handle the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters.
How does disinformation break the safety chain?
Disinformation campaigns during climate-related disasters, often propagated by fossil fuel interests and political actors, erode public understanding and trust. These campaigns typically fall into five categories:
- Cause distortion: Misattributing incidents, like wildfires to arson, disrupts the connection between accurate data and public response.
- Blame distortion: Ignoring climate change’s role in disasters prevents accountability for major contributors like the fossil fuel industry.
- Trust attacks: Claims undermining government credibility can lead to ignored warnings and delayed evacuations.
- False safety signals: Misleading information may delay necessary precautions during emergencies.
- Narrative hijacking: Disasters are sometimes linked with contentious issues, discouraging people from using official resources.
What can you do?
To combat disinformation, verify sources before sharing information, using tools to trace data origins. Reliable sources such as the National Weather Service and local agencies should be prioritized. Stay informed through trusted platforms like UCS and Climate Central. Recognize and counter misleading narratives using resources from UCS.
Advocate for congressional support to restore crucial safety chain elements, including federal climate research and disaster preparedness funding, ensuring robust responses to climate challenges.
Original Story at blog.ucs.org