Truth at the COP: Nations pledge to combat climate misinformation at global summit

For the first time this year, climate misinformation and the reliability of information are being addressed at the UN climate conference. B...

For the first time this year, climate misinformation and the reliability of information are being addressed at the UN climate conference.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched COP30 on Monday in the Amazonian city of Belem, urging global leaders to "conquer" those who deny climate change.

We are living in a time where those who oppose knowledge dismiss scientific findings and target organizations. It's time to once again challenge anti-science views," Lula stated, noting that COP30 will be the "COP of truth" in an age of "false information and distortion.

As preparations for COP30 continue, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also drawn attention to the battle against climate-related misinformation. He emphasized that the global community needs to "combat false and misleading information, online abuse, and greenwashing."

"Scientists and researchers must never be afraid to speak the truth," Guterres added.

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On Wednesday, the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change introduced its Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change during the Belem summit. This marks the first instance where nations have officially pledged to uphold information integrity and combat climate-related misinformation.

Why does it matter?

The world is at a "critical moment where two of humanity's most urgent issues have become dangerously connected," said Charlotte Scaddan, a senior advisor for information integrity within UN Global Communications, during the announcement of the declaration.

She mentioned that a decrease in trust towards information is a "very worrying pattern" globally, with climate change being "used as a tool" to divide communities and weaken democratic systems.

The victors in this misinformation economy...are the fossil fuel industries, specific political figures, and online digital influencers who profit from anger and falsehoods.

Climate disinformation surged ahead of COP30,As per a report by Climate Action Against Disinformation and the Observatory for Information Integrity, there was a 267% rise in disinformation linked to COP events between July and September this year. Terms connected to the UN climate conference were used 14,000 times along with words such as "failure," "catastrophe," "disaster," and "joke."

On Wednesday earlier, hundreds of civil society organizations, individuals, Indigenous communities, and global figures endorsed an open letter urging national governments to support a robust, forward-looking, and binding resolution at COP30 to ensure the accuracy of information.

Participants include Christiana Figueres, the architect of the Paris Agreement, Laurence Tubiana from the European Climate Foundation, the Climate Action Network International, and 350.org.

The letter states that the decline and contamination of the information environment is not merely an environmental crisis, but a "multi-dimensional global emergency".

It refers to recent research conducted by theInternational Commission on the Information Landscape (ICIL) and Climate Social Science Network,which indicate that organized climate denial efforts are "actively hindering the human reaction to the issue, deliberately undermining global collaboration, rendering the Paris Agreement targets unachievable, and endangering the lives of countless people."

What have nations pledged to?

Countries that have signed the statement agree to address incorrect and deceptive information regarding climate change.

There are six overall commitments, which involve guaranteeing that climate-related information is precise while safeguarding freedom of expression, backing independent media in delivering accurate coverage of environmental matters, providing evidence-based data to all individuals and enhancing the ability to recognize challenges to the reliability of information.

The statement also urges the private sector to uphold the accuracy of information regarding climate change in their operations and to maintain transparent, human rights-focused advertising methods.

"By supporting this Declaration, we emphasize our collective duty to equip communities globally with the understanding and data required to respond swiftly and firmly to the climate emergency," it concludes.

Thus far, 12 nations have ratified it — Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Uruguay.

What is the International Initiative for Accurate Information Regarding Climate Change?

The International Campaign for Accurate Information on Climate Change is an alliance involving the Brazilian government, the United Nations, and UNESCO, designed to fight against false information regarding climate change. It was revealed during the G20 Leaders Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024.

"Without having access to trustworthy information regarding climate change, we will never be able to address it," stated UNESCO's Director-General Audrey Azoulay during the event's unveiling.

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• What is COP30, why is it significant, and who will attend the climate negotiations this year?

By means of this program, we will assist journalists and researchers who are examining climate matters, often facing significant personal dangers, and combat the widespread misinformation about climate topics found on social media platforms.

The effort is supported by member nations including Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, Morocco, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

Four nations have recently become new members - Belgium, Canada, Finland, and Germany - increasing the total number of member states to 13.