Global Call to Counter Climate Disinformation Launched Ahead of COP30 in Brazil

An international effort to combat climate disinformation has this month issued a call to action, as part of the build-up to COP30 held in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. The Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, backed by the UN, UNESCO, UNFCCC, Brazil, and six other countries (Chile, Denmark, France, Morocco, the UK, and Sweden), is calling on stakeholders worldwide to submit solutions to counter climate-related disinformation and manipulation.

The call to action is part of the Global “Mutirão”, convened by the COP30 Brazilian Presidency through the official Action Agenda, and aims to accelerate real, scalable responses to one of the most under-acknowledged threats to climate action: the erosion of public trust in science and multilateralism due to disinformation.

Earlier this month, the United Nations released their first ever Global Risk Report, highlighting that, “one vulnerability clearly stands out: mis- and disinformation. It is perceived as an extremely important risk for which the international community is not prepared, with the potential to exacerbate geopolitical tensions, societal discord and crisis response challenges”.

For the first time in COP history, information integrity has therefore been formally included in the agenda. Submissions are open until August 31, 2025, and selected initiatives will be showcased at COP30, helping to drive momentum and accountability across sectors.

Interested organisations can submit applications within the following areas:

• Research on disinformation and other threats to climate information integrity;
• Tools and methods to promote climate information integrity;
• Communication strategies and campaigns;
• Support for environmental journalism;
• Protecting scientific data and data sets related to climate change;
• Transparency in the advertising supply chain;
• Media, information and digital literacy related to climate change.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described climate disinformation as a coordinated effort that “ranges from outright denial to greenwashing to the harassment of climate scientists.” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay emphasised the need to support journalists and researchers on the frontline, especially with regards to the disinformation and abuse that is now commonplace on social media.

The call also invites contributions to the Global Fund for Climate Information Integrity, managed by UNESCO, which will help scale solutions to restore trust and support informed climate action worldwide. Submissions will be reviewed by the Global Initiative’s Steering Committee and Advisory Group and may be featured in the COP30 Global Climate Action Agenda. The platform will showcase commitments and actionable solutions to enhance international climate governance. Elsewhere, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership have also launched a new work programme that forms “the operational backbone of the newly launched Brazilian COP30 Action Agenda”.

With climate disinformation now identified by the UN as one of the world’s top risks and vulnerabilities, the Global Initiative signals a turning point in global climate governance, one that recognises the fight for facts as essential to the fight for a safe and just planet.

Read the first ever UN Global Risk Report here

Read the call to action here

Interested organisations can access the application form- https://www.gov.br/secom/mutiraoglobal until August 31, 2025.