{"id":169251,"date":"2023-05-28T17:36:02","date_gmt":"2023-05-28T21:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=169251"},"modified":"2023-05-28T17:38:02","modified_gmt":"2023-05-28T21:38:02","slug":"the-whole-world-waking-up-to-reality-of-geoengineered-skies-and-chemtrails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=169251","title":{"rendered":"<h3><b>The Whole World Waking Up To Reality of Geoengineered Skies and Chemtrail Pollution<\/b><\/h3>"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--more--><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-169253\" src=\"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screen-Shot-2023-05-28-at-5.33.06-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"627\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screen-Shot-2023-05-28-at-5.33.06-PM.png 627w, http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screen-Shot-2023-05-28-at-5.33.06-PM-300x232.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px\" \/><\/p>\n<section class=\"layout__lede layout-no-rail-article-fullwidth__lede\" data-editable=\"topLede\" data-track-zone=\"topLede\" data-sticky-anchor-pos=\"top\" data-sticky-anchor-condition-type=\"pageType\" data-sticky-anchor-condition-value=\"article\" data-sticky-anchor-priority=\"1\">\n<div class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/lede-d6a2e89d7331403bb0e1cdb4fde8b6fc@published\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"meteorologists climate conspiracy trolling abuse intl\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.5628\" data-original-height=\"1407\" data-original-width=\"2500\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/230525181022-meteorologists-climate-conspiracy-trolling-abuse-intl.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 596}\">\n<div id=\"attachment_169254\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-169254\" class=\"size-large wp-image-169254\" src=\"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/230525181022-meteorologists-climate-conspiracy-trolling-abuse-intl-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/230525181022-meteorologists-climate-conspiracy-trolling-abuse-intl-1024x576.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/230525181022-meteorologists-climate-conspiracy-trolling-abuse-intl-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/230525181022-meteorologists-climate-conspiracy-trolling-abuse-intl-768x432.jpg 768w, http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/230525181022-meteorologists-climate-conspiracy-trolling-abuse-intl.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-169254\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Meteorologists around the world are facing what agencies say is unprecedented harassment and online abuse from people who accuse the experts of overstating, lying about or even controlling the weather.<br \/>Jessica Christian\/San Francisco Chronicle\/Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"layout__top layout-no-rail-article-fullwidth__top\" data-editable=\"top\" data-track-zone=\"top\">\n<div class=\"headline headline--has-lowertext\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/headline\/instances\/headline-meteorologists-conspiracy-harassment-abuse-climate-intl_h_87b2dd49320e474b03d14e995bafae50@published\" data-component-name=\"headline\">\n<div class=\"headline__wrapper\">\n<div data-editable=\"settings\"><\/div>\n<h1 id=\"maincontent\" class=\"headline__text inline-placeholder\" data-editable=\"headlineText\">\u2018Murderers\u2019 and \u2018criminals\u2019: Meteorologists face unprecedented harassment from conspiracy theorists<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"headline__footer\">\n<div class=\"headline__sub-container\">\n<div class=\"headline__sub-text\">\n<div class=\"byline\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/byline\/instances\/byline_h_87b2dd49320e474b03d14e995bafae50@published\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"byline__names\">By\u00a0<span class=\"byline__name\">Laura Paddison<\/span>, CNN<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"timestamp\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/timestamp\/instances\/timestamp-h_87b2dd49320e474b03d14e995bafae50@published\" data-editable=\"settings\">Updated 8:57 AM EDT, Sat May 27, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"layout__wrapper layout-no-rail-article-fullwidth__wrapper\">\n<section class=\"layout__main layout-no-rail-article-fullwidth__main\" data-editable=\"main\" data-track-zone=\"main\" data-reorderable=\"main\">\n<article class=\"article\" role=\"main\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/article\/instances\/h_87b2dd49320e474b03d14e995bafae50@published\" data-unselectable=\"true\">\n<section class=\"body tabcontent active\" data-tabcontent=\"Content\"><main class=\"article__main\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content-container\">\n<div class=\"article__content\" data-editable=\"content\" data-reorderable=\"content\">\n<div class=\"scroll-depth-observer toast-popup-observer\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_500FDEDD-77D7-554D-7A4D-52AD9D624614@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\"><strong>(CNN) \u2014<\/strong> \u201cMurderers.\u201d \u201cCriminals.\u201d \u201cWe are watching you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_0C3154E4-C59F-9952-7C87-52F7AE3199F6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">These are just a handful of the threats and abuse sent to meteorologists at AEMET, Spain\u2019s national weather agency, in recent months. They come via social media, its website, letters, phone calls \u2013 even in the form of graffiti sprayed across one of its buildings.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-slot-dynamic ad-slot-dynamic--3\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot-dynamic\/instances\/inline-first-v1@published\" data-placement=\"{&quot;mobile&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:2},&quot;desktop&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:6}}\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot adSlotLoaded\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot\/instances\/cnn-v1@published\" data-path=\"end\/ad-slot-dynamic[0]\/items\" data-desktop-slot-id=\"ad_bnr_btf_01\" data-mobile-slot-id=\"ad_rect_atf_01\">\n<div id=\"ad_rect_atf_01\" class=\"ad up-show adfuel-rendered\" data-google-query-id=\"CNSx2Zv6mP8CFTKP0QQdbdUCGg\">\n<div class=\"ahover\">\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/static.btloader.com\/safeFrame.html?upapi=true\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"upo-label\">AD<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/8663477\/blockthrough\/CNN\/world_1__container__\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/8663477\/blockthrough\/CNN\/world_1\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"advertisement\" role=\"region\" src=\"https:\/\/518648cffabef90127b4ffe49eb67dba.safeframe.googlesyndication.com\/safeframe\/1-0-40\/html\/container.html?upapi=true\" name=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" data-is-safeframe=\"true\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-google-container-id=\"2\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__feedback ad-feedback-link-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_2BAF8EFF-29CC-D5DC-78E0-52F7AE35B71C@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Abuse and harassment<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u201chave always happened\u201d against the agency\u2019s scientists, Estrella Guti\u00e9rrez-Marco, spokesperson for AEMET, told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_165877DF-A505-6CEC-F5C9-531920C5392A@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">But there has been a rapid rise recently, coinciding with extreme weather in Spain. A severe drought has shrunk water levels\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/05\/02\/europe\/spain-drought-catalonia-heat-wave-climate-intl\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to alarming lows<\/a>, exacerbated by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/04\/27\/europe\/spain-high-temperature-heat-climate-intl\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">record-breaking April temperatures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_3FAB1988-E06B-88FA-F881-52F7AE36F098@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">The abuse got so bad that in April, AEMET\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Aemet_Corpora\/status\/1648219308366114817?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted a video<\/a>\u00a0on Twitter calling for an end to the harassment, and asking for respect. Even the government intervened. Teresa Ribera, Spain\u2019s minister for the ecological transition,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Teresaribera\/status\/1654374183655165953\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted on Twitter<\/a>\u00a0in support of the agency: \u201cLying, giving wings to conspiracy and fear, insulting \u2026 It is time to say enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_C14B443F-C1EF-40F0-BD9C-52F7AE36F28A@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">The harassment of meteorologists by conspiracy theorists and climate deniers is not a phenomenon confined to Spain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_B92EDF46-A0B8-5D4A-86A9-53058A8A4A47@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">National weather services, meteorologists and climate communicators in countries from the US to Australia say they\u2019re experiencing an increase in threats and abuse, often around accusations they are overstating, lying about or even controlling the weather.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_AC39BBF6-3839-5CCA-3B8C-52FC26E64695@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">In Spain\u2019s case, much of the trolling revolves around the rehashing of an old conspiracy theory: so-called \u201cchemtrails.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-slot-dynamic ad-slot-dynamic--3\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot-dynamic\/instances\/inline-second-v1@published\" data-placement=\"{&quot;mobile&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:8},&quot;desktop&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:12}}\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot\/instances\/cnn-v1@published\" data-path=\"end\/ad-slot-dynamic[1]\/items\" data-desktop-slot-id=\"ad_bnr_btf_02\" data-mobile-slot-id=\"ad_rect_btf_01\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__feedback ad-feedback-link-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_16E77900-B44B-7308-5FCE-52F7AE38CD66@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Under many of the agency\u2019s Twitter posts, especially those that refer to more extreme weather, users have posted images of blue skies, crisscrossed with wispy, white trails. They falsely claim the trails contain a cocktail of chemicals to artificially manipulate the weather \u2013 keeping rain away and causing climate change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_354DB806-ECB2-41BC-B4B1-52F7AE397518@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">It\u2019s a theory roundly rejected by scientists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_97436ECF-6CEB-388C-0910-531D7FDEA821@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Airplanes do release vapor trails\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/article\/contrails-aviation-climate-change-satavia-scn-spc-intl\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">called contrails,<\/a>\u00a0short for condensation trails,<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>which form when water vapor condenses into ice crystals around the small particles emitted by jet engines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_ACD145C7-F3CB-C202-4024-531E32ECD848@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">But scientists have been clear: There is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/keith.seas.harvard.edu\/chemtrails-conspiracy-theory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">no evidence<\/a>\u00a0\u201cchemtrails\u201d exist.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"paragraph-0cd777f3-6b6f-6f0a-e7b3-52f7f4408060\" class=\"subheader\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/paragraph_0CD777F3-6B6F-6F0A-E7B3-52F7F4408060@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\">\u2018One of the hardest experiences\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_C1BEFE19-F4C2-8CD6-E76C-52F7AE3BC471@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">In April, meteorologist Isabel Moreno\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IsabelIsamoren\/status\/1644979822194487301\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wrote a tweet<\/a>\u00a0saying \u201crain skips Spain,\u201d with an image of a band of rain stretching across Europe but missing Spain almost entirely. She was completely unprepared for the response.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_CDA0E676-8245-159A-1E3E-52F7AE3BCDD6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt was one of the hardest experiences in social media in my life,\u201d said Moreno, who appears on the Spanish TV channel RTVE. \u201cI received HUNDREDS of responses to an (apparently) inoffensive tweet,\u201d she told CNN in an email.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-slot-dynamic ad-slot-dynamic--3\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot-dynamic\/instances\/inline-third-v1@published\" data-placement=\"{&quot;mobile&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:14},&quot;desktop&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:18}}\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot adSlotLoaded\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot\/instances\/cnn-v1@published\" data-path=\"end\/ad-slot-dynamic[2]\/items\" data-desktop-slot-id=\"ad_bnr_btf_03\" data-mobile-slot-id=\"ad_rect_btf_02\">\n<div id=\"ad_rect_btf_02\" class=\"ad up-show adfuel-rendered\" data-google-query-id=\"CNax2Zv6mP8CFTKP0QQdbdUCGg\">\n<div class=\"ahover\">\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/static.btloader.com\/safeFrame.html?upapi=true\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"upo-label\">AD<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/8663477\/blockthrough\/CNN\/world_3__container__\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/8663477\/blockthrough\/CNN\/world_3\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"advertisement\" role=\"region\" src=\"https:\/\/518648cffabef90127b4ffe49eb67dba.safeframe.googlesyndication.com\/safeframe\/1-0-40\/html\/container.html?upapi=true\" name=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" data-is-safeframe=\"true\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-google-container-id=\"4\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__feedback ad-feedback-link-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_6862A204-7290-76B6-C3F8-52F7AE3C17FE@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Many accused her of covering up weather manipulation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_134BDF5B-CF31-C130-3088-532005947343@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cDo not take us for idiots,\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mari771\/status\/1645332291973967877\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said one<\/a>. \u201cThey dry us up, and you are the spokesperson for those who do it,\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Worthy_high\/status\/1645094754974040067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said another<\/a>. And on, and on.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_E41157BB-CF94-50DB-4E58-52F7AE3DCB84@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">While there were plenty of supportive messages, too, it was scary, Moreno said. \u201cI have never seen either that amount of responses nor that level of aggression.\u201d It took days for her to be able to go onto Twitter again without feeling anxious or stressed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_E9478A5B-0808-B590-54BC-530142F054B6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">This phenomenon may be particularly pronounced in Spain, but it spreads much wider.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_BD17F72B-D36F-2F68-4750-52F7AE3E131D@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">In France, meteorologists have been accused of exaggerating the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/03\/30\/europe\/europe-drought-lake-montbel-france-climate-intl\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">country\u2019s drought and heat<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_F82E5C75-EC87-41E3-EDB2-5309D8DE37F3@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">M\u00e9t\u00e9o France, the French national meteorological service, said the agency\u2019s communications are \u201cthe object of more and more repeated attacks,\u201d a M\u00e9t\u00e9o France spokesman told CNN.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-slot-dynamic ad-slot-dynamic--3\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot-dynamic\/instances\/inline-fourth-v1@published\" data-placement=\"{&quot;mobile&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:20}}\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot adSlotLoaded\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot\/instances\/cnn-v1@published\" data-path=\"end\/ad-slot-dynamic[3]\/items\" data-mobile-slot-id=\"ad_rect_btf_03\">\n<div id=\"ad_rect_btf_03\" class=\"ad up-show adfuel-rendered\" data-google-query-id=\"CNex2Zv6mP8CFTKP0QQdbdUCGg\">\n<div class=\"ahover\">\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/static.btloader.com\/safeFrame.html?upapi=true\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"upo-label\">AD<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/8663477\/blockthrough\/CNN\/world_4__container__\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/8663477\/blockthrough\/CNN\/world_4\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"advertisement\" role=\"region\" src=\"https:\/\/518648cffabef90127b4ffe49eb67dba.safeframe.googlesyndication.com\/safeframe\/1-0-40\/html\/container.html?upapi=true\" name=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" data-is-safeframe=\"true\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-google-container-id=\"5\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__feedback ad-feedback-link-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_D636D9A3-1252-A97F-F166-52F7AE3FF928@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Climate misinformation on social media is particularly widespread, he said. It \u201cseems to be on the rise, both in terms of the number of attacks directed against scientific publications but also the increasingly aggressive tone of the insults.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_A2DF3DE4-EB1C-C638-E193-52F7AE40CCCF@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">In Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology has been bombarded with criticism of its reporting of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2022\/11\/23\/business\/australia-extreme-weather-economy-strain-climate-intl-hnk\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">temperature records<\/a>, with claims they have been inflated to make climate change seem worse. A spokeswoman for BOM called these claims inaccurate. \u201cThe Bureau transparently reports on and provides access to its very large climate data records,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_C206FBCC-8F62-AC55-8E21-52F7AE41A9CE@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">And in the UK, meteorologists reported\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-62323048\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unprecedented levels of online harassment<\/a>\u00a0during last year\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2022\/07\/19\/world\/heat-emergency-uk-us-climate\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">record-breaking heat wave<\/a>, which led to the first-ever \u201cred warning\u201d for heat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_2F9E54E2-9446-36DC-FE9B-53229B6B926B@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cAs scientists communicated this information, they were accused of instigating a nanny state hysteria,\u201d Liz Bentley, the chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_4CE866A0-E887-443A-70D2-52F7AE423D1D@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">The Met Office was even accused of changing the color palette of its maps to make them look more dramatic. \u201cWe hadn\u2019t, it was just really hot,\u201d Oliver Claydon, a communications officer at the Met Office, told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_776F5F25-0068-790D-E2E7-52FB7A44076F@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">US meteorologists and climate communicators have not escaped the barrage of abuse and conspiracies.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-slot-dynamic ad-slot-dynamic--3\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot-dynamic\/instances\/inline-fifth-v1@published\" data-placement=\"{&quot;mobile&quot;:{&quot;position&quot;:26}}\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot adSlotLoaded\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ad-slot\/instances\/cnn-v1@published\" data-path=\"end\/ad-slot-dynamic[4]\/items\" data-mobile-slot-id=\"ad_rect_btf_04\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__feedback ad-feedback-link-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_03F009E9-7B0D-8669-07E8-52F7AE43F027@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cWhenever I posted about global topics, like the yearly temperature report, the comments section would be filled with political jabs and conspiracy theories,\u201d said Elisa Raffa, a broadcast meteorologist with Queen City News, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_3EBB0F28-A599-6A85-985A-52F7AE4488AA@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">As a woman in the media, she more often receives comments about her appearance than the science she\u2019s communicating, she told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_63BCA28D-AC54-687F-F382-52F7AE45554F@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center, said she\u2019s seen a ramp up of abuse lately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_E0B3DCDB-C1DD-8D63-DFDC-53238CC5C042@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cI receive almost daily verbal declarations of my ignorance and climate alarmism,\u201d she told CNN.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"paragraph-ba1a276f-f634-f8e8-b78e-52f7da70105f\" class=\"subheader\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/paragraph_BA1A276F-F634-F8E8-B78E-52F7DA70105F@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\">An erosion of trust<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_64E66DA0-E01B-FFB0-671E-52F7AE475068@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Some disinformation experts draw a straight line from the conspiracies that flourished during the Covid pandemic \u2013 when experts faced a slew of abuse \u2013 to the uptick in climate conspiracies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_C7CA6928-B89B-DFA5-9CF6-52F7AE48E7CD@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">People need \u201ctrending\u201d topics on which to hang these theories, said Alexandre L\u00f3pez-Borrull, a lecturer in the Information and Communication Sciences Department at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in Spain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_3251EB21-58F3-67D3-BDD5-52F7AE498F6B@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">As Covid-19 fades from the headlines, climate change has become a strong rallying point. There\u2019s been a big increase in \u201cinsults directed at all organizations related to the weather,\u201d he told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_BE7F52E2-C295-6F72-73D3-52F7AE4AD8F9@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a logical evolution of the broader trend around pushback on institutions, and the erosion of trust,\u201d said Jennie King, the head of Climate Research and Policy at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank focused on disinformation and extremism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_AC05746D-B9B5-F058-1861-52F7AE4B9FF8@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">These kinds of conspiracies are usually grounded in the idea that a set of institutions is \u201cusing the pretext of climate change, or the pretext of solving public policy issues, to enact some insidious agenda,\u201d she told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_FE84BFAB-0E3E-DEA2-CC97-52F7AE4CDFE5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">And the weather is an easy way in. Many aspects of climate science can feel very technical or abstract, but the weather is something people interact with frequently, said King.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_27C0DEC5-CE26-3EA4-4496-53260D8E8B8F@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a much more immediate way to bring a wider audience into that skepticism \u2026 planting seeds of doubt against the climate agenda writ large,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_D4C47FBB-D1A5-B76A-5EA3-52FBD7EE8F1E@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">The role meteorologists have in explaining how climate change affects the weather, especially extreme weather, is a particular flashpoint.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_0885C09A-72D1-5FE8-AEDB-52F7AE4E2C44@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Extreme weather can be alarming, especially when there are consequences and sacrifices, such as Spain\u2019s water restrictions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_EDB19939-9848-936A-28D7-52F7AE4FF853@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Conspiracy theories feed on this fear by offering a simple, enticing explanation, said L\u00f3pez-Borrull. It\u2019s easier to believe climate change is fake, or a manipulation by powerful people, than get your head around the complex problem and what it means for society.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_BE7242D4-8DE8-7F06-6A46-52F7AE50E560@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cChange is hard and scary,\u201d Francis said<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"paragraph-86614005-6f30-a949-fb8c-52f7c49c44cf\" class=\"subheader\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/paragraph_86614005-6F30-A949-FB8C-52F7C49C44CF@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\">\u2018I\u2019m just trying to do my job\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_943B82BA-1DC0-7F23-58FC-52F7AE521212@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">It\u2019s difficult to combat conspiracy theories when they bubble up. Some experts say they offer simple charts and rebuttals when they can, but try to ignore those who come in bad faith.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_FEB58B59-ACAF-D53A-F641-52F7AE5318A7@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Doug McNeall, a climate scientist and statistician at the Met Office Hadley Centre, a UK research center, said that, as a scientist, he welcomes being challenged. \u201cIf people come with better evidence, and you change your mind, that\u2019s good,\u201d he told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_D2917AD4-552C-5A19-58A5-52F7AE547EB7@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">But that\u2019s not been his recent experience. \u201cThese people were not coming with better evidence,\u201d he said. \u201cThey were coming to stop us talking about climate science.\u201d He now relies much more on the block button.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_4CC92EA0-D179-E0D4-0C9E-52F7AE566D25@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">Moreno echoed this. \u201cI find it very difficult to change the minds of people that really have strong beliefs in these conspiracies,\u201d she said. It\u2019s easier to prevent the ideas from taking hold in people in the first place by tackling the myths and explaining how the atmosphere works, she added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_1EB169D8-455A-316A-1387-52F7AE571A26@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">This kind of communication can really help, said King. Some of the best initiatives are \u201cwhen media outlets or scientific institutions really try to demystify the process of how they produce public interest data,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_6E95C022-FEBB-0BBA-6D64-52FC8C442E45@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">King worries about the impact of these conspiracies on<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/02\/26\/world\/15-minute-cities-conspiracy-theory-climate-intl\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0climate politics<\/a>. \u201cIf we want to implement any policies, ambitious or not, around the environmental agenda, and the acute crisis of climate change, it does now seem that this is going to rear its head,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_D44165BD-6432-52BC-FA9C-52F7AE5B26F0@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">L\u00f3pez-Borrull hopes meteorologists and climate communicators will persevere and not be pushed away from online spaces.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_72308972-AADF-EEE9-617D-52F7AE5CE80A@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cThe answer is not disappearing or closing social media profiles \u2026 they have to remain on social media because they are really useful,\u201d L\u00f3pez-Borrull said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_CA4C9206-85C1-339A-FA0A-52F7AE5D0EAB@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">But as the climate crisis causes more extreme weather, harassment could increase even further.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_2AA74B54-338B-2DEB-F841-532915632112@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">And it takes a toll, said Raffa.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_E1855260-6990-3A07-DF6B-52F7AE5F2076@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">\u201cI think it\u2019s easy for people to forget I\u2019m human, some of those comments can be hurtful. I\u2019m just trying to do my job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/paragraph_E1855260-6990-3A07-DF6B-52F7AE5F2076@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\">___<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/05\/27\/world\/meteorologists-conspiracy-harassment-abuse-climate-intl\/index.html\">https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/05\/27\/world\/meteorologists-conspiracy-harassment-abuse-climate-intl\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/main><\/section>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169251"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169251\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}