…Germany pledges €2 million to climate information integrity fund as 29 countries and EU back Belém Declaration
SAT NOV 14 2026-theGBJournal| A global initiative has called for greater accountability from artificial intelligence companies, governments and digital advertisers over the growing risks of climate disinformation, warning that unreliable AI-generated content and opaque advertising practices could undermine public understanding of climate change.
Launching new global priorities at COP31 on Friday, the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change urged governments, technology companies, advertisers, researchers, journalists and funders to take urgent action to protect the reliability of climate information in the age of artificial intelligence.
The priorities, introduced by the Initiative’s co-chairs — Brazil, the United Nations and UNESCO — address two emerging challenges: the accuracy of climate information generated by AI systems and the environmental impact of the technologies themselves.
As growing numbers of people turn to AI for information about climate change, concerns are mounting over the technology’s ability to distinguish facts from fabricated or misleading content.
The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI has warned that “producing fluent text is easier than producing factual text”.
The risks are particularly acute during climate-related disasters, when AI-generated images and videos can circulate rapidly, potentially outpacing verified information and official emergency warnings.
At the same time, insufficient disclosure of AI’s energy consumption and environmental footprint makes it difficult for the public to assess claims about the technology’s climate impact.
The new Priorities for Action on AI for Climate Information Integrity build on the Belém Declaration and the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, placing transparency, accountability and human rights at the centre of AI governance.
Under the recommendations, AI companies should assess and publicly disclose how their systems affect climate information integrity, while providing data on their energy consumption and carbon, water and land footprints.
Governments are also being urged to incorporate information integrity into national AI strategies and climate plans.
Advertising industry faces pressure over climate disinformation funding
The initiative is also targeting the financial structures that can sustain climate disinformation, particularly the digital advertising industry.
Advertising remains the dominant business model of the digital information ecosystem, but limited transparency across the advertising supply chain means companies can struggle to establish where their advertising money goes and whether it supports organisations or content spreading climate misinformation.
A new Charter for Climate Information Integrity in Advertising, launched by the Conscious Advertising Network (CAN) and Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD), with the support of the Global Initiative, seeks to address the problem.
The charter calls for greater transparency in advertising placements, enabling brands to understand where their money is being spent while protecting users’ privacy.
It also urges digital platforms to verify all advertisers, take action against greenwashing and require advertising industry players to publicly disclose their relationships with fossil fuel companies.
The measures are intended to make it harder for advertising revenues to indirectly support climate disinformation and misleading environmental claims.
Germany commits €2 million to climate information fund
The push for stronger safeguards comes with renewed calls for financial support to strengthen the information systems people depend on to understand and respond to climate change.
At COP31, Germany committed €2 million to the Global Fund for Information Integrity on Climate Change, administered by UNESCO.
The funding will support grants for research, strategic communications and public awareness campaigns aimed at strengthening climate information integrity.
The Global Initiative welcomed the commitment and urged other governments to contribute to the fund, warning that efforts to tackle climate disinformation require sustained investment.
Support for Belém Declaration expands
The latest announcements build on growing international political support for climate information integrity.
One year after the issue was included in a COP outcome decision for the first time at COP30 in Belém, 29 countries and the European Union have signed and are implementing the Belém Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change.
The declaration remains open to further endorsements.
The growing support signals increased recognition that tackling climate change requires not only credible scientific evidence and ambitious climate policies, but also an information environment in which the public can distinguish reliable information from manipulation and disinformation.
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