Video 1- COP30: Countries Unite to Fight Climate Disinformation In the battle for truth in the climate crisis. A new front opens at COP 30. For the first time, the UN climate summit is tackling a silent saboteur, climate disinformation. But here's where it gets controversial. Can we truly combat misinformation without infringing on free speech?
Brazilian President Luis Enosio Lula Da Silva kicked off COP30 in the Amazonian city of Balum with a rallying cry against climate deniers. He declared this summit the cop of truth, emphasizing the urgent need to counter the spread of fake news and misrepresentation in an era where scientific evidence is under attack.
This focus on information integrity was echoed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres who highlighted the dangers of online harassment, greenwashing, and the silencing of scientists. He stressed that researchers must be able to speak truth to power without fear of repercussions. And this is the part most people miss.
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The rise of climate disinformation isn't just about spreading doubt. It's a deliberate strategy with real world consequences. A recent report revealed a staggering 267% increase in COP related disinformation in the months leading up to the summit. Terms like failure and catastrophe were strategically linked to the UN climate talks, sewing seeds of cynicism and apathy.
This orchestrated campaign, as Charlotte Scatteren of UN Global Communications pointed out, benefits fossil fuel interests, certain political actors, and online influencers who profit from outrage and misinformation. Climate change, she warned, is being weaponized to polarize societies and undermine democratic processes.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, over 100 countries, civil society organizations, indigenous groups, and global leaders signed a landmark declaration on information integrity on climate change. This declaration commits signatories to six key actions, including-
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Ensuring the accuracy of climate information while safeguarding free speech, a delicate balance that sparks much debate, supporting independent media in reporting on environmental issues, making evidence-based information accessible to all, building capacity to identify and counter threats to information integrity. The declaration also calls upon the private sector to uphold information integrity in their business practices and advertising, promoting transparency and respect for human rights.
But is this enough? While the declaration is a crucial step, the fight against climate disinformation is far from over. The International Panel on the Information Environment, IPIE, and the Climate Social Science Network have shown that organized climate obstruction is actively delaying our response to the crisis, jeopardizing the Paris Agreement goals and putting millions of lives at risk.
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The global initiative for information integrity on climate change, a partnership between Brazil, the UN, and UNESCOR, aims to provide a platform for journalists and researchers to combat disinformation. However, its success hinges on widespread adoption and effective implementation. What do you think? Can we effectively combat climate disinformation while preserving free speech? How can we hold those who spread misinformation accountable without stifling legitimate debate? The battle for truth in the climate crisis is just beginning, and your voice matters.
[Keblogger: The battle may be just beginning for COPs, but many of us at home on our laptops have been fighting against disinformation- wham wham wham- over and over on X and Facebook and everywhere else that these nitwits post lies. Where has the UN been for the last 20 years while all this disinformation was being spread? And if you're going to help independent media, Heating Planet blog could use a PayPal click, I do this work without any parties. And PS Everyone who criticizes you is not getting paid by the fossil fuel industry, we just are telling it like it is.]
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Video 2 COP30: The Fight Against Climate Disinformation - What Countries Are Committing To Picture this. In a world teetering on
Picture this. In a world teetering on the brink of climate catastrophe, the spread of lies about our planet's warming isn't just a nuisance. It's a dangerous weapon undermining our very survival. But get ready because at the UN climate summit this year, world leaders are stepping up to battle misinformation head-on in a groundbreaking way.
Dubbed the COP of truth, COP 30 in the lush Amazonian city of BM marks the first time climate disinformation and the integrity of information have taken center stage. And this is the part most people miss. It's not just about facts. It's about safeguarding democracy and human progress against those who profit from chaos.
Brazilian President Luis Inosio Lula Da Silva kicked off COP30 on Monday with a fiery plea for global leaders to crush climate deniers once and for all. We are in an age where dark forces dismiss science and assail trusted institutions, Lula declared, urging everyone to strike another blow against deniialism in this era plagued by fake news and deceit. He positioned COP30 as the ultimate showdown for truth where honesty triumphs over fabrication.
Building on this momentum, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres shone a spotlight on the issue in the leadup to the summit. He called for a united front against misinformation, online bullying, and deceptive greenwashing tactics that mask corporate greed.
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Experts and scientists must speak freely without fear, Guterres emphasized, reinforcing the idea that unfiltered truth is our best defense. Then on Wednesday, the global initiative for information integrity on climate change unveiled its declaration on information integrity on climate change right there in Belem. This is a historic moment. For the first time, nations are formally pledging to uphold the accuracy of climate information and push back against false narratives.
But here's where it gets controversial. While champions hail this as a victory for accountability, critics might argue it's a slippery slope toward government censorship. We'll dive into that debate later. Why should you care? Charlotte Scatteren, a senior adviser on information integrity for UN global communications, explained it poignantly at the declaration's launch.
She described our current era as a perilous crossroads where humanity's twin crises, climate change, and information decay are dangerously entangled. "A growing mistrust in facts is alarming," she said, noting how climate issues are being exploited to divide societies and erode democratic norms.
"The real beneficiaries: fossil fuel giants, opportunistic politicians, and online influencers cashing in on viral outrage and faucets.
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Imagine, for instance, how a single viral tweet distorting COP 30 could sway public opinion and delay crucial action. It's like pouring fuel on an already raging fire. This surge in disinformation isn't hypothetical.
A recent report from Climate Action Against Disinformation and the Observatory for Information integrity revealed a staggering 267% spike in climate related falsehoods between July and September this year. Keywords tied to the UN summit popped up 14,000 times alongside grim words like failure, catastrophe, disaster, and joke.
It's a stark reminder of how easy it is for misinformation to amplify doubts and stall progress. Not to be outdone, hundreds of civil society groups, indigenous communities, activists, and leaders signed an open letter earlier that day. They urge governments to push for a robust mandatory decision at COP 30 to protect information integrity.
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Signitaries include climate trailblazers like Cristiana Faggeres, the architect of the Paris Agreement and organizations such as the European Climate Foundation, Climate Action Network International, and 350 .org. The letter frames the pollution of our information landscape as more than a climate problem. It's a multifaceted global emergency that threatens us all. [transcript continues below]
lol you gotta laugh or you won't make it. -keblogger
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Backing this up, studies from the International Panel on Information Environment and the Climate Social Science Network highlight how coordinated obstruction efforts are sabotaging our response to the crisis. These tactics delay international collaboration, make the Paris agreement's targets seem unreachable, and endanger millions of lives.
Think of it like a game where the rules are rigged. While we're trying to build solutions, hidden players are spreading confusion to keep the status quo. So, what exactly are countries committing to through the declaration?
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It's all about confronting deceptive climate narratives head-on. The six key pledges include guaranteeing the accuracy of climate data without stifling free expression, bolstering independent journalism on environmental topics, democratizing access to evidence-based knowledge, and equipping people with tools to spot threats to information honesty.
It also challenges the private sector to embrace ethical business practices and ensure ads are transparent and respectful of human rights. In their own words, by signing, nations affirm a collective duty to arm societies with the facts needed to tackle the climate emergency urgently and effectively.
Right now, 12 countries have put their names on the declaration. Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Uruguay. This is just the beginning, and it's inspiring to see such diverse nations uniting.
Now, let's break down what the global initiative for information integrity on climate change is all about. Launched as a collaboration between Brazil, the UN, and UNESCO, this initiative fights climate disinformation at its roots. Announced during the G20 leader summit in Rio de Janeiro last November, it aims to provide reliable info on climate disruption so we can overcome it. UNESCRO director general Audrey Aellet captured its essence without trustworthy details on climate issues.
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Victory is impossible. We'll back journalists and researchers who brave dangers to uncover truths and combat the rampant lies on social media.
[Heating Planet blog has not heard from them]
The initiative boasts support from member states like Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, Morocco, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. And just recently, for more countries, Belgium, Canada, Finland, and Germany joined, swelling the membership to 13.
This expansion shows growing global resolve, but it also raises questions. Is this a noble stand for science, or could it inadvertently limit open debate? After all, in the name of fighting a disinformation, where do we draw the line between helpful fact-checking and overreach?
[Um, if it totally contradicts science]
As we wrap this up, consider this thought-provoking angle. While protecting information integrity seems essential for tackling climate change, does it risk infringing on free speech?
[No. And why do both of these fact-filled videos that appeared with the COP30 announcement ask that question? There are not two sides to science. The deniers are liars with an agenda, not a worthy adversary in legitimate debate. GO AFTER THEM!]
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