The science is clear: we need to eat more plants and less meat to avert climate catastrophe—especially in high-income countries. Food systems account for roughly one-third of global emissions. Even if fossil fuel emissions stopped tomorrow, food-related emissions alone could push global warming beyond the critical 2°C target set by the Paris Agreement.

Yet widespread false and misleading information about food now stands as a major barrier to normalizing plant-forward diets.

Food culture is now forged in a digital landscape where science is distorted by algorithms and influencers. Eaters are increasingly bombarded with stories normalizing the overconsumption of meat and dairy. And the animal agriculture industry has invested heavily in shaping this environment through tightly coordinated networks of PR firms, industry-friendly scientists, and influencers that leverage digital media to discredit plant-forward solutions.

• Campaigns like #Yes2Meat and #ClimateFoodFacts preemptively attack academic studies and dietary guidelines before they're even published.

• Greenwashing tactics claim livestock are "carbon neutral" through misleading framings of the biogenic methane cycle, while health-washing portrays meat as an essential "superfood" and downplays documented links to chronic disease.

• Plant-based alternatives get maligned as "unnatural chemical slop" and “unhealthy and fake,” weaponizing concerns about ultra-processed foods to lump nutrient-dense plant proteins alongside junk food.

Today’s digital landscape influences what consumers choose to eat, what policymakers prioritize, and what investors fund. Having facts on your side is no longer sufficient. Organizations working toward plant-rich diet shifts – including plant-based food companies – need new capacities for shaping culture and conversation in the modern media environment.