Climate Disinformation Emerges as Critical Threat at COP30 Climate Summit

Negotiators at the COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil have identified a growing crisis that threatens to undermine global climate action: the rapid spread of climate disinformation. As delegates gathered to address the urgent challenge of climate change, they found themselves confronting another battle – the fight against false information that could sabotage progress on emissions reduction.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva set a resolute tone during the summit’s opening session, declaring that the struggle for truth has become equally critical as the fight to cut carbon emissions. “COP30 must mark a new defeat for climate denialists,” he stated, highlighting the intersection of information integrity and environmental action.

In a landmark move, twelve nations – including Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain – signed the first-ever Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change on Wednesday. The agreement commits these countries to combating false climate content and protecting those who stand on the frontlines of scientific truth: environmental journalists, scientists, and researchers.

The declaration was unveiled under the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, a partnership launched in June between Brazil, the UN Department of Global Communications, and UNESCO. João Brant, Brazil’s Secretary for Digital Policies, described the initiative’s mission in straightforward terms: to “create a wave of truth” to counter the flood of misinformation.

Frederico Assis, COP30’s Special Envoy for Information Integrity, warned that the threat posed by climate disinformation extends beyond public discourse to potentially compromising the diplomatic process itself. “Disinformation, driven by obscurantist worldviews, fuels political extremism and puts lives at risk,” he told UN News, adding that there is “a real danger of interference in climate negotiations.”

According to Assis, algorithms play a significant role in amplifying “conspiratorial and manipulative” content through “sophisticated tactics to spread false messages.” His mandate at COP30 is to keep this issue in the public consciousness and mobilize leaders across political, religious, and social spheres to counter disinformation.

The inclusion of information integrity on the official COP agenda represents an unprecedented recognition of the problem. UNESCO’s Guilherme Canela emphasized that understanding the mechanics behind climate disinformation is crucial to developing effective countermeasures.

“We still know very little about what’s behind this,” Canela noted. “Who funds these posts, and why do they spread faster than other types of content? If we don’t understand these mechanisms, it’s very difficult to design effective strategies to combat this phenomenon.”

To address this knowledge gap, the initiative has established the Global Fund for Information Integrity on Climate Change. Already attracting 447 proposals from nearly 100 countries, the fund has received initial backing of $1 million from Brazil. Almost two-thirds of the first round of supported projects originate from developing nations, reflecting the global nature of the challenge.

Maria Clara Moraes, a UN Verified Champion with over half a million TikTok followers, describes the battle against climate disinformation as “completely possible, but also extremely challenging.” She warns that these campaigns are highly organized and often “backed by powerful forces, particularly the fossil fuel industry.”

Moraes points out that disinformation tactics constantly evolve. “One of the most powerful is saying that it’s too late – that nothing can be done, or that these events like COP30 don’t make a difference,” she explained. “Saying, ‘This isn’t working, it’s too slow, too complex, too frustrating.’ But yes – it’s important. We must constantly reaffirm the value of multilateralism.”

Despite these challenges, Moraes finds hope in younger generations who are increasingly aware of climate issues through science-based content. She encourages people to create “micro-revolutions” through everyday choices that support climate action and drive systemic change.

As COP30 progresses, the battle against climate disinformation stands alongside emissions reduction as a critical front in addressing the climate crisis. With formal recognition on the agenda and concrete initiatives now underway, delegates are acknowledging that protecting the integrity of climate information is essential to maintaining the momentum for meaningful global action.