The United Nations has introduced new global priorities at COP31 aimed at ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) companies provide accurate information on climate change and disclose the environmental impact of their operations.
The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI warned that generating fluent content is easier than producing factually accurate information.
It cautioned that the situation could become more dangerous during climate-related disasters, when AI-generated images and videos may circulate faster than official emergency warnings.
To address these concerns, the priorities developed by the Global Initiative’s co-chairs, Brazil, the United Nations and UNESCO, are centred on transparency, accountability and human rights.
Under the proposed measures, AI companies are expected to evaluate how their systems influence the integrity of climate information and make their findings public.
They are also required to disclose their energy consumption and carbon, water and land footprints, while governments are expected to incorporate information integrity into their national AI strategies and climate action plans.
The initiative also seeks to tackle the contribution of digital advertising to the spread of climate disinformation.
It noted that the lack of transparency in the advertising supply chain makes it difficult for brands to determine who benefits from their advertising spending and whether their funds support the spread of climate misinformation.
In response, the Conscious Advertising Network (CAN) and Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD), with backing from the Global Initiative, launched the Charter for Climate Information Integrity in Advertising.
The charter outlines four key measures, including greater transparency throughout the advertising supply chain, mandatory verification of advertisers on digital platforms, measures to combat greenwashing and public disclosure of business relationships between advertising industry players and fossil fuel companies.
Meanwhile, Germany has pledged €2 million to the Global Fund for Information Integrity on Climate Change, which is managed by UNESCO.
The funding will support research, the development of communication strategies and public awareness campaigns. The initiative also called on other countries to contribute to the fund.
Since information integrity was included in a COP outcome decision at COP30 in Belém, 29 countries and the European Union have endorsed the initiative and started implementing its provisions.
The Belém Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change remains open to additional endorsements.
