Combating Climate Disinformation: Building a “Coalition of the Willing” for COP30

In an unprecedented move to address the growing threat of climate disinformation, Sciences Po is set to host a landmark event during Paris Climate and Nature Week on October 28. The gathering will unveil groundbreaking research on the spread of climate misinformation and explore potential regulatory solutions ahead of the critical COP30 climate summit.

Three prominent organizations—QuotaClimat, Data For Good, and Science Feedback—will present findings from their innovative artificial intelligence tool designed to automatically detect climate disinformation. The technology, which has been simultaneously deployed in France and Brazil, offers concerning insights into how misleading climate narratives proliferate across audiovisual media.

The event comes at a crucial moment when climate action faces increasing headwinds from coordinated misinformation campaigns. According to recent studies, climate disinformation has become more sophisticated and widespread, often mimicking legitimate news sources to sow doubt about scientific consensus on climate change.

“Information integrity has become inseparable from effective climate policy,” said a spokesperson for the organizing committee. “Without addressing the deliberate spread of misleading climate narratives, even the most ambitious climate agreements may fail to gain the public support needed for implementation.”

The gathering will unfold in three distinct sessions, each addressing different aspects of the climate disinformation challenge. The first session will focus on recognizing climate disinformation, with speakers yet to be announced. This segment aims to help participants understand the evolving tactics used by those spreading false information about climate science.

The second session, “From Findings to Implications,” will be moderated by Eva Morel, General Secretary of QuotaClimat. Speakers include Théodore Tallent, a researcher at Sciences Po, and Emmanuel Vincent, Director of Science Feedback and affiliated researcher at the Médialab. Additional speakers are expected to join this panel, which will translate the research findings into actionable insights.

The final session will feature a high-level diplomatic roundtable focusing on perspectives ahead of COP30. This discussion, moderated by Fiona Harvey, Environment Editor at The Guardian, will explore how governments might incorporate information integrity into future climate negotiations.

The AI-powered tool at the center of the event represents a significant advancement in tracking disinformation. Unlike previous monitoring efforts that relied heavily on manual fact-checking, this automated system can analyze vast quantities of media content to identify patterns and sources of climate misinformation.

The simultaneous deployment in France and Brazil is particularly significant. Brazil, which will host COP30, has faced its own challenges with climate misinformation, especially regarding Amazon deforestation. France, meanwhile, has been at the forefront of pushing for stronger climate action within the European Union.

Sciences Po’s hosting of the event reinforces the institution’s growing role as a hub for climate policy development and research. The Paris-based university has increasingly positioned itself at the intersection of academic research and practical policy solutions for climate challenges.

The timing—just weeks before COP30—is strategic. Organizers hope the findings will encourage governments to formally recognize information integrity as a crucial component of climate negotiations. Previous climate summits have focused primarily on emissions targets and financing, with less attention paid to the impact of disinformation on public support for climate action.

Registration for the event is mandatory and subject to availability, suggesting significant interest from policy makers, researchers, journalists, and civil society organizations. The diverse attendance reflects growing recognition that climate disinformation requires a multifaceted response spanning media literacy, regulatory frameworks, and technological solutions.

As climate change accelerates and public discourse becomes increasingly polarized, this initiative represents a significant step toward ensuring that climate policy discussions remain grounded in factual information rather than misleading narratives.