IFJ Launches Global Initiative to Combat Climate Misinformation

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has unveiled a new UNESCO-funded project aimed at strengthening media capabilities to fight climate misinformation and disinformation worldwide. The initiative comes amid alarming evidence that false climate information is surging globally, particularly in the lead-up to major climate conferences.

Recent data from Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) and the Observatory of Climate Integrity revealed a staggering 267% increase in false or misleading climate content between July and September 2025, with approximately 14,000 examples discovered online. Much of this content utilized artificial intelligence to create convincing fake videos, manipulated images, and computer-generated scenes presented as authentic documentation.

“A large part of this material was created using artificial intelligence, including fake videos, manipulated images, computer-generated scenes presented as if they were real,” explained Thiago Tanji, President of the São Paulo Union of Professional Journalists. “One of the most viral cases showed supposed floods in Bélem, host city of COP30, but the video was AI-generated.”

Tanji emphasized the broader social consequences of this trend: “This disinformation not only distorts reality; it also confuses the population, weakens the public debate and feeds intimidation campaigns against activists and scientists.”

In response to these challenges, UNESCO, the Brazilian Government, and the United Nations launched the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change at COP30. The declaration establishes shared international commitments to strengthen information integrity on climate issues and promote evidence-based reporting. Maria José Braga, a member of the IFJ’s Executive Committee and Climate Action Team, represented the organization at the conference.

Climate misinformation has manifested in similar patterns worldwide. In Australia’s New South Wales coastal regions, a coordinated campaign falsely claimed that offshore wind farms were killing whales. The disinformation began with manipulated images showing dead or burning whales near wind turbines and escalated when fabricated academic papers circulated on social media. The false narrative eventually penetrated mainstream political debate before being systematically debunked by researchers, media outlets, and environmental organizations.

Zimbabwe faced similar challenges in 2019 when reports claiming Victoria Falls was drying up due to climate change spread widely through local and international media. Though water flow data showed levels were indeed at their lowest since 1995, scientists were hesitant to definitively attribute this to climate change rather than natural seasonal variation. The misinformation resulted in canceled tour reservations that severely impacted tourism in Zimbabwe and Zambia, prompting local communities and tourism authorities to push back with more accurate information.

A recent IFJ survey conducted in December 2025 highlighted the structural challenges journalists face when covering climate issues. Misinformation and disinformation ranked as the third major obstacle (44%) behind lack of training (49%) and limited time and resources (48%). An overwhelming 65% of respondents reported inadequate training to recognize and counter climate-related misinformation.

The survey also revealed significant resource gaps, with 56% of journalists lacking the tools needed to verify scientific claims and 70% reporting that insufficient time or resources directly contribute to inaccurate reporting.

To address these needs, the IFJ will develop an online training module specifically designed to support accurate environmental reporting as part of their new initiative.

“We are pleased to work and strengthen our collaboration with UNESCO to support journalists in accurately reporting on environmental issues,” said IFJ International Projects Officer Nisirne Salameh. “Journalists have a vital responsibility to report the facts and communicate the impacts of climate change clearly and responsibly. Information integrity is crucial to ensure it does not deter climate action, particularly for younger generations who will inherit the consequences of today’s decisions and rely on trustworthy information to shape the future.”

The project represents a significant step toward empowering journalists to maintain public trust in climate reporting through a labor union-driven approach to countering misinformation worldwide.