AI Supercharges Climate Disinformation Ahead of COP30

Surge in AI-Generated Climate Lies

A new report from the Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) coalition reveals a significant surge in AI-generated disinformation targeting the upcoming COP30 climate summit, set to be hosted in Belém, Brazil. Researchers found a staggering 267% increase (over 14,000 examples) of COP-related falsehoods between July and September 2025. This misinformation, which is cheap and easy to create using AI, is helping to sustain a hostile view toward climate science and climate action.

Examples of Fabrication and False Narratives

A widely shared example of this AI-tainted content is a video clip falsely claiming to show massive flooding in Belém. Researchers from the Observatory for Information Integrity (Oii) found that the entire video was fabricated—“The reporter doesn’t exist, the people don’t exist, the flood doesn’t exist, and the city doesn’t exist.” Other videos implying Belém isn’t fit to host the conference recycled old footage or were filmed in entirely different locations, like Tbilisi, Georgia. This trend is part of a larger pattern, including earlier investigations into a document, falsely attributed to Elon Musk’s Grok 3 AI, that wrongfully dismissed the credibility of the IPCC’s climate models.

Impact on Public Perception and Action

The persistent spread of these false narratives, often amplified by “Big Carbon’s spending and Big Tech’s algorithms,” is having a direct negative impact on public perception. The disinformation war prevents people from recognizing the widespread public desire for action. Recent research shows that over 80% of people want stronger climate action, yet both the public and policymakers vastly underestimate this willingness, which CAAD attributes to the effect of climate disinformation. This online hostility can also escalate into the intimidation of scientists and activists.

Governments Begin to Respond

The United Nations and various governments are starting to respond to the threat posed by this digital pollution. Researchers point to legislative efforts like the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to increase transparency and accountability for online platforms and advertisers. The DSA imposes stricter obligations on large platforms regarding illegal and harmful content, including disinformation. With information integrity finally being placed on the UN agenda, experts are cautiously optimistic that the world is moving in the right direction to combat these digitally-supercharged falsehoods.