375 Global Leaders and Organisations Sign Open Letter Urging COP30 to Uphold Information Integrity
Civil society groups, Indigenous communities, academics, and global organisations unite to demand enforceable measures against climate disinformation at COP30
The open letter, titled “Climate Action Requires Truth: COP30 Must Codify Information Integrity”, has been released by Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) on the official thematic day dedicated to information integrity at COP30. Backed by over 375 signatories, the letter urges national delegations to take an ambitious stand against climate disinformation and commit to enforceable measures that safeguard the truth.
A Call to Protect Climate Truth
The letter stresses that upholding information integrity is not optional—it is a foundational requirement for effective climate action. It highlights how coordinated disinformation campaigns, especially from oil and carbon majors, are undermining policies, delaying the energy transition, and eroding public trust.
“This crucial window of opportunity must not be wasted and the fossil fuel industry’s manipulation of public discourse must be stopped,” the letter states.
Disinformation: A Growing Global Threat
The signatories warn that climate disinformation is not only an environmental challenge but a threat to:
- Public health
- Fundamental human rights
- Global security
Every delay caused by false narratives or distorted facts translates directly into real-world harm, they emphasize.
Demand for Accountability Across Sectors
The letter calls on governments to go beyond symbolic commitments and adopt verifiable, enforceable mechanisms that hold:
- Technology platforms
- Media organisations
- Advertising companies
accountable for preventing the spread of climate disinformation. Transparency, oversight, and responsibility must become cornerstones of digital communication ecosystems, it argues.
- A Broad and Influential Coalition
Among the prominent individual signatories are:
Christiana Figueres, Costa Rican diplomat and architect of the Paris Agreement
Kumi Naidoo, South African human rights and climate justice advocate
Jennifer Morgan, Germany’s Special Envoy for International Climate Action
Prof. Phil Howard, Oxford University
John Cook, leading climate communication researcher
Damian Collins, Former UK Minister
Heidi Hautala, Former Vice President, European Parliament
Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, Honorary President, Club of Rome
Carlos R. S. Milani, academic and governance expert
Imran Ahmed, CEO, Center for Countering Digital Hate
Major global organisations endorsing the CAAD-led initiative include:
Climate Action Network International
350.org
WWF International
Center for Countering Digital Hate
C40 Cities
ClientEarth
Global Disinformation Index
InfluenceMap
People vs Big Tech Coalition
Transparency International
Union of Concerned Scientists
Women and Gender Constituency
Where Climate Science Meets Digital Policy
This development underscores a critical dimension of global climate governance: climate action cannot succeed without climate truth. As digital misinformation becomes increasingly sophisticated, civil society is urging policymakers to match it with equally robust science-based safeguards.
The open letter positions information integrity as a determining factor in the success of COP30 negotiations — and, ultimately, in the world’s ability to deliver a fair, equitable, and science-aligned climate transition.
The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy
