Press Release - It’s Time to Confront Climate Disinformation: Why COP29 Should Not Ignore a Growing Threat
November 12, 2024 – Zürich, Switzerland – An expert group of tech and climate change researchers from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) have expressed concern over the exclusion of climate mis and disinformation from the official agenda of COP29. With the world grappling with worsening climate impacts, the IPIE’s Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science emphasizes that failing to address climate mis and disinformation poses a threat to global climate action and public trust in science.
Despite the urgent need to combat this challenge, it is conspicuously absent from the agenda, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the conference’s deliberations on climate policy and action.
"Mis and disinformation are among the most serious barriers to effective climate action," states Professor Klaus Bruhn Jensen (Denmark), Chair of the IPIE Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science.
“This is a striking omission. The failure to confront climate disinformation at such a critical international platform like COP29 could have lasting consequences. Unchecked disinformation creates a fertile ground for climate inaction, preventing societies from building resilience against environmental hazards. Disinformation doesn’t just distort public debate—it obstructs the necessary decisions that affect the future of our planet.”
While COP29’s agenda rightfully focuses on urgent issues like adaptation and mitigation, the exclusion of climate disinformation is a major oversight. Without confronting the flow of false narratives, even the best policies and innovations will face public mistrust and resistance. Climate disinformation can distort perceptions, breed doubt, and weaken global agreements designed to curb emissions and implement sustainable solutions.
“Ignoring climate disinformation at COP29 counteracts evidence-based decision-making,” said Professor Fredrick Ogenga (Kenya) of the IPIE’s Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science. “We cannot afford to allow mis and disinformation to shape public discourse and delay critical climate action at a time when every day counts. We urge world leaders to add climate disinformation to the agenda at COP29 and at next year’s meeting.”
The Role of the IPIE's Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science
The Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science was created to investigate this very issue. The panel brings together top experts across scientific disciplines from around the world to assess the latest research on how the information environment (the mix of physical, social, and digital realms that shape our ways of communicating, interacting, and processing information across the globe) impact public understanding of climate change. The group also offers recommendations on public policy, technology design, and oversight strategies that can promote public engagement with the climate crisis.
Offering data-driven insights and recommendations, the panel works to shape national and international policies to combat the disinformation ecosystem that undermines climate science.
The panel is committed to working with digital platforms, governments, and civil society to ensure that accurate, evidence-based information remains the backbone of climate action - this is not only a matter of scientific integrity but also a key factor in the success of global climate agreements like the Paris Accords.
For more information about the panel and a full list of its members click here.
About IPIE
The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) is an independent and global science organization committed to providing the most actionable scientific knowledge about threats to the world’s information environment. Based in Switzerland, the mission of the IPIE is to provide policymakers, industry, and civil society with independent scientific assessments on the global information environment by organizing, evaluating, and elevating research, with the broad aim of improving the global information environment. Hundreds of researchers from around the world contribute to the IPIE’s reports.
For media inquiries, interviews, or more information, please contact: Kathryn Chapman at Kathryn.Chapman@IPIE.info or Press@IPIE.info.