Businesses Under Fire: The Ubiquity of Misinformation Demands Truth Protection Strategies
In a bid to tackle the growing problem of climate misinformation and disinformation, a new coalition - the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change - has been launched. The initiative, which includes key partners such as the United Nations (UN), UNESCO, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and various civil society organizations, aims to develop a coordinated global response to disinformation tactics that hinder climate action.
The initiative recognizes the urgent need to combat misinformation threats as climate scientists warn that time to avoid catastrophic climate impacts is rapidly diminishing. The tactics targeted by the initiative include outright denial of climate science, greenwashing, and attacks on climate scientists which collectively undermine public trust in climate science and delay urgent policies.
To address this, the initiative has several key strategies. It launches a global Call to Action (Mutirão) inviting governments, civil society, academic institutions, the private sector, public institutions, and international organizations to submit concrete solutions and initiatives that promote information integrity concerning climate change.
The initiative also promotes the amplification and global visibility of impactful, evidence-based initiatives combating climate misinformation, with selected proposals showcased at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. Furthermore, it supports research into misinformation in digital spaces, especially addressing gaps in understanding risks in non-English-speaking regions and the Global South.
The initiative also establishes a Global Fund, administered by UNESCO, to support balanced research and foster international collaboration in strengthening climate information integrity worldwide. This marks the first formal inclusion of information integrity on the agenda of a major climate conference (COP30) and represents a novel multilateral partnership between states and NGOs to fund research and actions against climate-related disinformation.
In summary, the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change aims to combat climate misinformation by coordinating global efforts, promoting trusted information, supporting research, and integrating these efforts into high-level climate policy discussions, thereby fostering greater public trust and accelerating effective climate action.
The rise of climate misinformation creates a dangerous feedback loop: disinformation breeds polarization, which escalates into conflict, further degrading conditions for effective climate response. As such, the initiative's work is crucial in defending the truth against misinformation and ensuring that climate action depends on trust. The private sector, including companies with ESG mandates, carbon neutrality goals, or sustainability certifications, are being pulled into politicized debates they didn't ask for. Greater transparency in digital ad placements is a critical step for companies to avoid funding false and misleading climate narratives.
Climate denial 2.0 involves saying "It's not my fault," "It's someone else's fault," or "It's too expensive." Leadership in this context requires organizations to prepare communications resilience strategies, aligning sustainability messaging with lived experience, and using relatable analogies. The "Mutirão" initiative aims to promote transparency, build public resilience, hold actors accountable, and strengthen trust in science as part of global climate governance.
References: [1] https://www.unesco.org/en/press-room/news/2023/unesco-launches-global-initiative-to-counter-climate-disinformation [2] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/06/un-launches-global-initiative-to-combat-climate-disinformation/ [3] https://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/services/science/social-and-human-sciences/division-of-policy-sciences/climate-change/global-initiative-for-information-integrity-on-climate-change/ [4] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/un-launches-global-initiative-combat-climate-disinformation-2023-06-15/
- Recognizing the significance of science in addressing climate-change, the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, under the United Nations (UN), UNESCO, and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is working to combat climate misinformation.
- The importance of environmental-science is underscored as the initiative targets climate-change denial, greenwashing, and attacks on climate scientists, which hinder climate action and undermine public trust.
- In line with its mission, the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change is developing strategic partnerships with social-media platforms, the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), and key technology players involved in cybersecurity, acknowledging the role of technology in communicating climate action against disinformation (CAAD) and fostering information integrity.
- As part of its campaign, the initiative encourages the entertainment industry to join the fight against climate-change disinformation by producing content that raises public awareness and promotes evidence-based climate action.
