Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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November 12, 2025 Climate and environment
Delegates gathered in Belém, Brazil, for the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) want to save the planet from catastrophic temperature increases. But their efforts are threatened by misinformation that could undermine the fight against global warming.
On Wednesday, a group of 12 countries signed the Declaration on Trustworthy Information on Climate Change. The document sets out specific measures to combat false content online and stop targeted attacks on journalists, scientists, and researchers working on climate and environmental issues. Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Uruguay, the Netherlands, and Belgium joined the declaration.
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This was announced as part of the Global Climate Initiative. Launched in June of this year, the initiative is being implemented by the Brazilian government, the UN Department of Global Communications, and UNESCO.
Disinformation could derail negotiations
COP30 Special Envoy for Credibility, Frederico Assis, told the UN News Service that "disinformation… fuels political extremism and puts human lives at risk." He warned of the real risk of interference in the climate negotiations.
"It is widely recognized that disinformation can jeopardize any part of the COP process—whether diplomatic negotiations, agenda implementation, mobilization [of the international community], or the organization of summits. All our efforts will be jeopardized if we fail to adequately counter disinformation, which is rooted in denial of the facts," Assis noted.
He expressed concern about algorithms that amplify "conspiratorial and manipulative content" and use "sophisticated tactics to spread false messages."
In his role as special envoy, Assis draws global attention to the problem of climate disinformation.
Mechanisms of false information
In an interview with the UN News Service, UNESCO Director of Digital Inclusion, Policy, and Transformation Guilherme Canela emphasized that the topic of information reliability is included on the official agenda of the COP for the first time.
He noted that the global initiative will help better understand the mechanisms by which disinformation spreads.
"We still know very little about what lies behind this process. For example, who funds these types of publications? Why do they spread faster than other content? How does this happen? Without understanding these mechanisms, it's impossible to develop effective strategies to combat this phenomenon," Canela said.
“The essence of the initiative is precisely to fund, especially in countries of the Global South, investigative journalism and research projects that allow us to understand what is really going on,” he added.
Canela noted that “it is extremely gratifying to see this topic receive such strong support at COP30.”
The Global Climate Confidence Facility, established within the initiative, has already received 447 applications from nearly 100 countries, two-thirds of which are from developing countries.
With initial funding of $1 million from Brazil, the fund began supporting the first series of projects.
Changing forms of disinformation
Speaking to UN News, digital influencer Maria Clara Morais said that combating climate disinformation is "entirely possible, but extremely difficult."
Marias Verdes, co-founder of the platform, which has over 500,000 followers on TikTok, noted that disinformation is carefully orchestrated and "supported by powerful forces, primarily the oil and gas industry."
Narratives that discredit climate action "change shape" over time, she said.
"There are many forms of disinformation. One of the most dangerous is the claim that it's too late, that nothing can be done, or that events like COP30 don't change anything. That's also disinformation," Morais said.
“We must continually reaffirm the value of multilateral cooperation and the importance of platforms such as this,” she stressed.
Hope for the younger generation
Morais says that through her work on sustainability and science, she has noticed a growing public awareness of the climate crisis.
She emphasized that the younger generation is becoming a “source of hope and optimism.”
Morais noted the role of each person in creating "micro-revolutions" – everyday actions and decisions that support climate initiatives and contribute to large-scale systemic change.
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