Open letter: Climate action requires truth – COP30 must codify information integrity

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“We must fight the coordinated disinformation campaigns impeding global progress on climate change” Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General 

This Open Letter is released on November 12, on the official thematic day on information integrity at COP30 in Belém. We, the undersigned individuals, civil society organizations, governors, mayors, faith leaders, agencies, and companies, urge all national government delegations to champion a strong, ambitious, and mandatory decision at COP30 to uphold information integrity on climate change. This crucial window of opportunity must not be wasted, and the fossil fuel industry's manipulation of public discourse must be stopped. 

While many extreme weather events worsen and the 2025 UNEP Emissions Gap Report warns we are on track to dangerously exceed the 1.5°C goal, vested economic and political interests—chiefly those in the fossil fuel industry—continue to organize and finance disinformation campaigns. While the vast majority of people globally demand climate action, the calculated production and dissemination of misinformation and disinformation is designed to hold back climate action. By creating a false perception of public division and apathy, these campaigns are derailing effective climate policy and actively discrediting renewable energy solutions, slowing the essential energy transition. 

The degradation and pollution in the information ecosystem is not merely a climate crisis; it is a multi-faceted global emergency. As demonstrated by recent studies from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) and Climate Social Science Network, organized climate obstruction activities are actively delaying the human response to the crisis, directly sabotaging international cooperation, making the Paris Agreement goals unattainable, and putting the lives of millions at risk. Disinformation is thus a direct and immediate threat to: 

• Public Health: Every falsehood delays climate action, translating into real harm; children breathing toxic air, families displaced by floods, and communities facing heatstroke and hunger. The same playbook once used by Big Tobacco is now weaponized by fossil fuel interests. 

• Human Rights and Security: Disinformation erodes trust in institutions, misleads the public during disasters, and obstructs rapid, life-saving transitions. It is a fundamental threat to the just, democratic, and science-based action required, and must be treated as a security and human rights concern.

These threats to the general public are exacerbated by the unregulated and unchecked power of Big Tech and vested-interest media, as the primary vehicles for mass-producing and disseminating the manipulative and divisive content that is hindering climate action and threatening freedom of speech, democracies, and human rights. 

Information integrity is non-negotiable 

Access to accurate information is essential for effective climate action and the fulfillment of human rights. To secure the foundation of information integrity and accelerate climate action, national governments must move decisively from mere recognition to mandatory, verifiable action. We demand that all Parties at COP30 to: 

UNEQUIVOCALLY RECOGNIZE that upholding information integrity on climate change is a prerequisite for effective climate action, the protection of rule of law, people’s health and the fulfillment of fundamental human rights. 

Such an official acknowledgement will underpin all actions grounded in scientific evidence and reliable data, promoting trustworthy policies and increasing public confidence and building on the important progress already made. The IPCC now acknowledges the detrimental impact of climate disinformation, the EU Parliament has officially recognized the threat, and the launch of the Global Principles for Information Integrity underscores international consensus. This is a vital step towards realizing the goals of the Global Digital Compact, yet we must not stop at mere recognition. We must fundamentally change the structures, business models and incentives that create opaque, unfair, and unsafe communications systems. 

A call for political will and robust commitments 

The global community has a window of opportunity to codify this commitment. We welcome the historic inclusion of information integrity on the COP agenda, thanks in large part to the advocacy of the Brazilian Government and the Global Initiative on Information Integrity for Climate Change (co-led by the UN, UNESCO, and Brazil). 

Now, COP30 must be used to amplify the Global Initiative and galvanize further international action on climate information integrity. We expect this COP to deliver a concrete direction that showcases the political will of all Parties to uphold information integrity on climate change and commit to taking robust, verifiable action for its safeguarding. 

The threat to information integrity requires action across the entire ecosystem. Technology platforms, the media, and the advertising sector have profound responsibilities. We insist that these stakeholders must take robust, proactive, and independently verifiable measures, including monitoring and evaluation, to uphold and improve the integrity of information on climate matters. Policy-makers and national governments must use their legislative and regulatory powers to curb the power of platforms that profit from the spread of manipulative content. Greenwashing, platform manipulation, and the monetization of disinformation must end immediately.

From recognition to action 

Brazil, your leadership is historic. We applaud your commitment to the Global Initiative on Information Integrity for Climate Change and for ensuring this critical issue is a central part of the COP agenda. 

But now, the world is watching for an actionable outcome from COP30. We urge Brazil, alongside the entire coalition of supporting nations, to champion a strong, ambitious COP decision that moves decisively beyond mere recognition to mandatory, verifiable action from all Parties. 

We also call on all Parties of the UNFCCC to actively use their influence to ensure a rapid and widespread adherence to the Global Initiative on Information Integrity for Climate Change. The momentum generated here must be accelerated and sustained through Belém and future COPs, ensuring that upholding information integrity becomes a commitment supported by a broad and powerful international coalition. 

We demand swift and robust global action to uphold information integrity and take measures against these threats. This transformation should be ignited here in Belém with an official acknowledgement of necessity to uphold information integrity and a signal to the digital media, legacy media, public relations and advertising sectors that governments are expecting them to carry out their responsibilities for information integrity on climate change. 

Protecting information integrity is protecting our future. Let’s ensure truth and transparency are protected to drive the climate action this generation, and the next, deserve. 

Signed 

Organisations 

1. 350.org Australia
2. Abaré - Escola de Jornalismo
3. ACHED Association Citoyenne pour une Heure Équitable et Durable
4. ACT Climate Labs
5. Adfree Cities
6. AmazoniaTEC Institute
7. Amigos da Terra - Amazônia Brasileira
8. ANMIGA
9. ARAYARA International Institute
10. ASPOAN - ASSOCIAÇÃO POTIGUAR AMIGOS DA NATUREZA
11. Associação de Defesa Etnoambiental Kanindé
12. Associação Soluções Inclusivas Sustentáveis
13. Building Foundation for Development (BFD)
14. Campaign Collective
15. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment 16. CancerDisinfo
17. Casa Galileia
18. Center for Climate Change Communication
19. Center for Countering Digital Hate
20. Center for International Environmental Law
21. Center for Media, Democracy, Peace & Security; The Peacemaker Corps Foundation Kenya
22. Clean Creatives
23. Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum
24. Climainfo
25. Climate Action Monaro
26. Climate Action Network South Asia
27. Climate Ad Observatory
28. Climate Integrity
29. Climate Psychiatry Alliance
30. ClimateVoice
31. Club of Rome/Earth4All
32. Coletivo Bereia - Informação e Checagem de Notícias 33. Coletivo Reocupa
34. Comms Declare
35. Community Action For Health And Development
36. Conectas Human Rights
37. Conscious Advertising Network
38. Creatives for Climate
39. Crynwyr Cymru - Quakers in Wales
40. Déclic collectif
41. Déclic collectif
42. Doctors for the Environment Australia
43. EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health 44. Ecotropica Foundation
45. Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland
46. Equity Watch Initiative
47. Escola de Ativismo
48. Extinction Rebellion
49. Extinction Rebellion Australia
50. FALA impact studio
51. Fórum Carajás
52. Fossil Free Football
53. Fossil Free Lawyers
54. Fossil Free SA
55. France Nature Environnement
56. Friends of the Earth
57. Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica
58. GDI
59. Global Action Plan
60. Global Climate and Health Alliance
61. Global Wind Energy Council
62. GreenFaith
63. Greenpeace Brasil
64. Gret
65. Grupo de pesquisa Mídia, conhecimento e meio ambiente: olhares da Amazônia (UFRR)
66. GT Infraestrutura e Justiça Socioambiental
67. GWEV
68. I4T Knowledge Network
69. InfluenceMap
70. Institute for Consumer Protection (Brazil)
71. Instituto Água e Saneamento
72. Instituto AmazoniAlerta
73. Instituto Árvores Vivas para Conservação e Cultura Ambiental 
74. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
75. Intervozes - Coletivo Brasil de Comunicação Social
76. Ipas
77. Jubilee Australia Research Centre
78. Klimakultur
79. Lighter Footprints
80. LOVE-Storm - gegen Hass im Netz
81. Mães pelo Clima
82. Magamba Network
83. Media ECO CONSCIENCE TV
84. Mind and Gravity Foundation
85. MOV - MOVIMENTO INTERNACIONAL DE JUVENTUDES
86. Moxii Africa (rebranding from Media Monitoring Africa)
87. MSI Reproductive Choices
88. NetLab UFRJ
89. NOSSAS
90. Notre Affaire à Tous
91. Observatório das Águas
92. Observatório Interdisciplinar das Mudanças Climáticas (OIMC)
93. Observatory on Social Media, Indiana University
94. Parents for Climate
95. People vs Big Tech
96. Peoples Climate Assembly
97. Plataforma CIPÓ
98. Population, Health and Environment Ethiopia Condortium
99. Projeto Hospitais Saudáveis
100. Projeto Saude e Alegria
101. Proyecto Desconfio
102. Purpose
103. Queensland Conservation Council
104. QuotaClimat
105. Rare
106. re•generation
107. Reclame Fossielvrij / Fossil Free Advertising
108. Rede Cerrado (Cerrado Network)
109. Rede Nacional de Combate à Desinformação-RNCD
110. Rede Vozes Negras pelo Clima/ RVNPC
111. Religions for Peace Australia
112. Research+Action
113. Roots
114. SAF-TESO
115. Schools for the Climate Movement
116. Sea Shepherd Brasil
117. Stop Funding Heat / Reliable Media
118. Tasmanian Climate Collective
119. The Climate&Strategy Foundation
120. The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention & Human Security
121. The Sparrow Project
122. The YEARS Project
123. Transparency International
124. Transparency International Initiative Madagascar
125. Union of Concerned Scientists
126. University of Leeds
127. Vert d'Iris
128. Viração Educomunicação
129. Vote Earth Now
130. WHAT TO FIX
131. Women Empowered
132. Workshop for All Beings
133. World Health Innovation Summit - Global Social Prescribing Alliance
134. Yapay Gündem 

Individuals 

Please note: Organisations are listed for reference only. All individuals have signed in a personal capacity unless otherwise stated 

1. Afra Balazina, Mobilization Director, Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica
2. Alaina Kinol
3. Alison Smith, Senior Research Associate, University of Oxford, Environmental Change Institute
4. Ana Regina Rêgo, Doutora, Rede Nacional de Combate à Desinformação-RNCD
5. Anders Wijkman, Honorary President, Club of Rome, Club of Rome
6. Andrew Stepanian, Founder, The Sparrow Project
7. Angelo José Rodrigues Lima, Secretário Executivo, Observatório das Águas
8. Anna Siewiorek, Senior Campaign Lead, The Climate&Strategy Foundation
9. Antoine Gatet, Président, France Nature Environnement
10. Barnaby Francis, Director, Climate Ad Observatory
11. Barnaby Francis,Director and founder, FALA impact studio
12. Brandi Geurkink, Executive Director, Coalition for Independent Technology Research
13. Braulio Silva, Secretary Executive, Ecotropica Foundation
14. Braulio Silva,Public Policy Manager, Institute for Consumer Protection (Brazil)
15. Brita Staal,Independent Pracademic, Dr Victoria Hurth
16. Callum Grieve, Co-Founder, Campaign Collective
17. Carl James Hospedales, Executive Director, EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health
18. Carlos R. S. Milani, Director, Observatório Interdisciplinar das Mudanças Climáticas (OIMC)
19. Carolina Santana, President, Instituto AmazoniAlerta
20. Catherine Abreu, Director, European Climate Foundation
21. Catherine Abreu, Director, International Climate Politics Hub
22. Cecilia Espinoza, Senior Technical Advisor, Ipas
23. Christiana Figuerres, Former UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Chief Negotiator of the landmark Paris Agreement of 2015, Founding Partner, Global Optimism
24. Christophe Gauthier, co-chair, I4T Knowledge Network
25. Christophe Gauthier,Founding manager, Vert d'Iris
26. Clarissa Canova, Founder, Mães pelo Clima
27. Cody Wilkinson
28. Cristiana Losekann, Professor, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
29. Dani Madrid-Morales, Lecturer in Journalism, University of Sheffield
30. David Somervell, Trustee, Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum
31. Deborah McNamara,Branch Manager, The Climate Reality Project Brasil
32. Delcio Rodrigues, Executive Director, Climainfo Institute
33. Deuza Brabo, Coordenadora de projetos, Coletivo Reocupa
34. Donald J. Wuebbles, Emeritus Professor, University of Illinois
35. Dr Ketakandriana Rafitoson, Vice-Chair, Transparency International
36. Dr. Gonzalo Raineri,Climate Justice Lead, Buni Media
37. Dr. Joe Vipond, Past-President, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
38. Edson Grandisoli, Director, Schools for the Climate Movement
39. Edward Maibach, Distinguished University Professor and Founding Director Emeritus, George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication
40. Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, Executive Director, The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention & Human Security
41. Emenyeonu, C. Ogadimma, Faculty, College of Communication, University of Sharjah
42. Emma Cooper, Programme Office- Environment & Climate Action, Islamic Help
43. Endashaw Mogessie Tiruneh, Executive Director, Population, Health and Environment Ethiopia Consortium
44. Eugenio Vargas Garcia, Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil
45. Eva Navarro López, AI Scientist, International Panel on the Information Environment
46. Eve Karoubi, International Policy Lead, GGON
47. Fabrício Benevenuto, Associate Professor, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
48. Felix Paul, Director General, ClimAQ Nigeria/University of Uyo
49. Filippo Menczer, Director and Distinguished Luddy Professor of Informatics, Observatory on Social Media, Indiana University
50. Filippo Menczer,Interim Director and Associate Professor, Center for Climate Change Communication
51. Francisco Iglesias, Presidente, ASPOAN - ASSOCIAÇÃO POTIGUAR AMIGOS DA NATUREZA
52. Frédéric Morand, Founding manager, Vert d'Iris
53. Gabriela Feitosa, Urbanist and Researcher
54. Gale Sinatra, Distinguished Professor, University of Southern California
55. Gave Cabral de Souza, Diretor-presidente, Abaré - Escola de Jornalismo
56. Gilson Antoinette, President, Future 3
57. GT Infraestrutura e Justiça Socioambiental, Secretário Executivo, GT Infraestrutura e Justiça Socioambiental
58. Guillaume Quelin, Responsable de projet climat/chef de file de la Commission Climat & Développement, GRET
59. Imran Ahmed, CEO & Founder, Center for Countering Digital Hate
60. Jackline Nganga,President, Future Food Institute
61. Jake Dubbins, Co-founder, Conscious Advertising Network
62. Janos Pasztor, Retired, Former UN Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change, Retirement
63. Jess H. Brewer, Professor Emeritus, Univ. of British Columbia
64. Jéssica Miranda Pinheiro, Lawyer, THEMIS - Gender, Justice and Human Rights
65. Joel Clement, Climate Whistleblower
66. John Kotcher, Interim Director and Associate Professor, Center for Climate Change Communication
67. Juliana Gatti Pereira Rodrigues,Mobilization Director, Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica
68. Justus Visagie Editor, EVnow
69. Kevin E Trenberth, Climate Scientist
70. Klaus Bruhn Jensen, Professor, University of Copenhagen; Chair of the Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science, IPIE
71. Laetitia Moreau Gabarain, President, ACHED Association Citoyenne pour une Heure Equitable et Durable
72. Laurence Tubiana, CEO European Climate Foundation / COP30 Special Envoy for Europe, European Climate Foundation
73. Leonhard Rabensteiner, Werbefrei (Austria)
74. Livia Giuggioli, Activist, None
75. Lone Sorensen, Associate Professor of Political Communication, University of Leeds
76. Lorena Regattieri, Advisor, Green Screen Coalition
77. Lucas Louback Silva, Gestor de advocacy, NOSSAS
78. Luciana Souza de Oliveira, Member, Rede Vozes Negras pelo Clima/ RVNPC
79. Luciane Moessa de Souza,Honourary President/Global Ambassador, Club of Rome/Earth4All
80. Magali do Nascimento Cunha, Prof., Coletivo Bereia - Informação e Checagem de Notícias
81. Marco André Feldman Schneider, Tenured researcher and Professor, Rede Nacional de Combate à Desinformação
82. Marcos Antonio de Oliveira Junior, Research Impact Fellow, University of Exeter
83. Maria C de Sá e Benevides, Executive Producer, Quartzo Comunicação
84. Mariana Franco Ramos, Coordenadora de Comunicação da Plataforma CIPÓ, Plataforma CIPÓ
85. Mathieu Le Corre
86. Mithra Cox, GSCC
87. Monique Galvão,Director and Distinguished Luddy Professor of Informatics, Observatory on Social Media, Indiana University
88. Nathalie Gil, President, Sea Shepherd Brasil
89. Nathalie Gil,Secretary Executive, Ecotropica Foundation
90. Nicky Bull
91. Nicolas Rutherford, Senior Analyst, Information Integrity Lab, University of Ottawa
92. Paula Pollini, Public Policy Specialist, Instituto Água e Saneamento
93. Paulo Lima, Executive Director, Viração Educomunicação
94. Philip Howard, Professor, Oxford University
95. Philippa Rowland, Co-Chair, Religions for Peace Australia
96. Prof. Fredrick Ogenga, Professor, Center for Media, Democracy, Peace & Security; The Peacemaker Corps Foundation Kenya
97. Ramênia Vieira da Cunha Gallas, Coordenadora executiva, Intervozes - Coletivo Brasil de Comunicação Social
98. Renata Moraes,Founder and CEO, ChangeNOW
99. Renato Barreto, Public Policy Manager, Institute for Consumer Protection (Brazil) 100. Renato Barreto,Gestor de advocacy, NOSSAS
101. Ritumbra Manuvie, Assistant Professor, University of Groningen
102. Robert Feder, M.D., Psychiatrist, American Psychiatric Association
103. Robert Hinkley, Code For Corporate Citizenship
104. Rolande Aziaka, Journalist / Director, Media ECO CONSCIENCE TV
105. Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, Honourary President/Global Ambassador, Club of Rome/Earth4All
106. Sandrine Dixson-Decleve,co-chair, I4T Knowledge Network
107. Santiago Lefebvre,Director, Symbiotic Design Academy
108. Sara Roversi,Climate & Nature Director, North of Impact
109. Sarah Chow, Research Consultant at the Climate Litigation Lab, based in the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme
110. Shailendra Yashwant, Senior Advisor, Climate Action Network South Asia
111. Simão Farias Almeida, Professor, Grupo de pesquisa Mídia, conhecimento e meio ambiente: olhares da Amazônia (UFRR)
112. Sonia Livingstone, Professor of Social Psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science
113. Sono Aibe, Consultant, CHED Solutions
114. Sophie Morosoli, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Amsterdam
115. Stephan Lewandowsky, Professor of Cognitive Science, University of Bristol
116. Thais Lazzeri, Director and founder, FALA impact studio
117. Tom Rivett-Carnac, Founding Partner at Global Optimism
118. Travis G Coan, Professor of Computational Social Science, University of Exeter
119. Trevor Alan Scott, Central Vic Climate Action
120. Veronica Wignall, Director, Adfree Cities
121. Vicente de Paulo Pereira Lima, Journalist, Viração Educomunicação
122. Vicky Sins, Executive Director, ClimateVoice 
123. Victoria Hurth, Head of Climate, World Benchmarking Alliance 
124. Viktoria Spaiser, Professor of Climate Politics and Computational Social Science, University of Leeds
125. Vital Ribeirom, President of the board, Projeto Hospitais Saudáveis
126. Yash Agrawal, PhD researcher in policy studies, The Energy and Resources Institute School of Advanced Studies

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