At the COP30 summit in Belém, world leaders identified disinformation as a significant threat to global climate action. Twelve countries, including Brazil, France, Canada, and Germany, signed the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change, marking the first governmental commitment to confront misleading claims regarding the climate crisis.
This surge in false climate narratives is believed to stem from fossil-fuel interests, political actors utilizing environmental issues for electoral gain, and influencers monetizing outrage. The summit concluded with the adoption of the declaration, which urges states, media, academia, and the private sector to promote accurate environmental information and combat climate denialism and greenwashing.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized the need to “defeat climate denialism,” while UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a fight against misinformation, online harassment, and greenwashing. Reports indicate a 267% increase in COP-related disinformation recently, and research from ClientEarth highlights how social-media algorithms amplify false narratives.
The declaration received support from over 400 organizations and global leaders, who urged governments to address this “pollution of the information ecosystem.” The scale of the challenge was highlighted by the presence of more than 1,600 fossil-fuel lobbyists at COP30, raising concerns about corporate influence on climate negotiations.
Amid these discussions, Canada reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Indigenous climate leadership and announced funding for initiatives focused on information integrity. In the background, a flotilla of Indigenous activists marked the People’s Summit, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
As COP30 progresses, disinformation is viewed as a central barrier to climate action that can no longer be overlooked.
