Brazil and the United Nations have launched a new international effort to combat disinformation on climate change.
"International cooperation —centred on the #ParisAgreement— is indispensable to #ClimateAction.
Amidst geopolitical divisions and uncertainties, the world needs countries to come together."
— @antonioguterres urges negotiators at #COP29 to deliver climate justice. pic.twitter.com/W3kkJe5Nwe
— United Nations (@UN) November 21, 2024
The Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change was unveiled during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The initiative is a collaboration between governments and international organizations.
We've launched the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, together with Brazil & @UNESCO.
We're joining forces to strengthen research & measures to address disinformation campaigns that are seeking to delay & derail #ClimateAction. https://t.co/yfUFpA2dQY pic.twitter.com/Rd7RWFU51q
— United Nations (@UN) November 20, 2024
It aims to boost research on misinformation about climate change, which they fear could hinder efforts to address the climate crisis. The initiative plans to fund nonprofit efforts to counter the spread of such misinformation. President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in a press release that countries cannot tackle this problem individually.
So far, only Chile, Denmark, France, Morocco, the United Kingdom, and Sweden have joined Brazil in the initiative.
🌏 At #COP29, we are raising awareness about how integrated climate and health action can make a real difference in people's daily lives.
🔗https://t.co/4ZSTBJRtgi pic.twitter.com/6RhGICptGD
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) November 21, 2024
Participating countries are expected to contribute to a fund administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The initial goal is to get more countries on board and raise $10 to 15 million over the next three years.
The funds will be distributed to nonprofit organizations as grants to support research and public awareness campaigns on climate disinformation. The coalition has not specified the nonprofit groups they plan to collaborate with yet. “Calls for partnerships” are to be announced soon.
Some environmental organizations are already working together to study disinformation and advocate for measures to curb its spread. One example is the Climate Action Against Disinformation coalition, which publishes reports on misinformation trends and pushes for stricter content moderation. The new global initiative emphasizes that environmental disinformation is increasingly spreading through social media, messaging apps, and generative AI.
Global collaboration against climate disinformation
This disinformation has “serious” consequences. It undermines scientific consensus, obstructs authorities’ ability to respond effectively to the crisis, and threatens the safety of journalists and environmental defenders on the frontlines.
A case in point is the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in the US. Misinformation about the storm and FEMA was tied to content denying climate change. Some posts baselessly accused FEMA of seizing private property and confiscating donations.
This risked deterring storm survivors from applying for assistance and raised concerns about potential attacks on FEMA staff. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also voiced his concerns during the G20 summit. “We must also take on climate disinformation,” Guterres said.
“Our climate is at a breaking point.”
This new effort marks a significant step toward a coordinated global response to climate change disinformation. The Initiative draws on the United Nations’ Global Principles for Information Integrity as an important framework for action. The Principles envision an information ecosystem that delivers choice, freedom, privacy, and safety for all.
They propose empowering people by giving them greater control over the media they choose to consume, their online experiences, and how their personal data is used. One notable effort to stand up to climate disinformation is ‘Verified for Climate,’ a joint initiative of the United Nations and the social impact agency Purpose. It promotes solutions-focused, science-based information to debunk myths and end narratives of denialism, doomism, and delay.
For more information about the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, initiatives to counter disinformation, and facts on climate change and energy, please visit the official United Nations website.
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