ID: 1839
Presenting Author: Julio Rojas
Session: 740 - When misinformation spreads faster than facts: Social Strategies in LATAM
Status: pending
Lessons from IDB projects in Latin America on countering mis/disinformation in ESIAs through empathetic communication, digital tools, and participatory monitoring to rebuild trust.
Across Latin America, large infrastructure and urban regeneration projects often face intense scrutiny, polarized narratives, and rapid mis/disinformation that erode public trust and can undermine Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), even when technically robust.
Drawing on real cases, this paper examines how emotions, ideologies, and competing narratives shape public perceptions of technical findings. Using project documentation and interviews with teams, authorities, civil society, and media, it identifies key factors that fuel distrust during planning and assessment phases.
It also distills what has worked. Evidence shows the value of early, continuous engagement; plain-language and visual data; interactive digital platforms; participatory monitoring; rumor-tracking; and co-creation with Indigenous Peoples, traditional communities, and historically marginalized groups. These approaches improved understanding of regulatory issues, strengthened credibility, and reduced polarization.
The paper concludes with replicable recommendations for IA practitioners: (i) integrate narrative-risk analysis into scoping; (ii) pair disclosure with empathy-based messaging; (iii) institutionalize traceable feedback and grievance channels; (iv) equip teams with mis/disinformation playbooks; and (v) measure trust and information integrity alongside environmental and social performance.
Aligned with IAIA26 themes, it offers practical tools to enhance transparency, inclusiveness, and stakeholder confidence in complex project environments.
Senior social specialist at the IDB with experience in land acquisition, community engagement, resettlement, and conflict resolution across Latin America.
Coauthor 1: Soraya Senosier