Open letter: Global action required now to tackle the threat of climate misinformation and disinformation
The following is an open letter to the COP26 Presidency & UNFCCC, and the CEOs of Facebook, Instagram, Google, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest and Reddit. This letter is led by The Conscious Advertising Network and was developed in partnership with climate and disinformation experts, including the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. If you would like to sign it, you can do so here.
Climate change has reached a crisis point. COP26 is a key moment in accelerating our commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement. This cannot be threatened by misinformation.
The individuals, companies, agencies and civil society signatures to this letter demand swift and robust global action from COP decision makers and tech platforms, to mitigate these threats.
The problem we are trying to solve is that many of the big tech platforms currently have no Climate Misinformation policies. In August 2021, a study by Newsguard and Comscore found that $2.6 billion was being spent by big brands advertising on misinformation sites. Clearly, there is a significant risk that COP26 could be seriously undermined by dis/misinformation or even that violence may be inspired by that disinformation. This must change.
We are seeing really encouraging signs. In October 2021, Google, in partnership with the Conscious Advertising Network, announced a new monetisation policy for Google advertisers, publishers and YouTube creators that will “prohibit ads for, and monetization of, content that contradicts well-established scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change.” This action sends a strong signal to all big tech companies that they must do more to stop climate misinformation.
The threat to COP26 and climate action is not abstract, we have seen misinformation derail conferences before. In 2018, a coordinated online campaign by right-wing populists, far-right extremists and conspiracy theorists pressured countries to drop support for the U.N. Global Compact on Migration. 12 countries abstained, while the United States, Israel, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary all voted against the international agreement. A year later, the same disinformation was found to have played a part in radicalising the Christchurch terrorist, with “Here’s your migration compact!” etched into the barrel of his gun.
Finally, we need a universal definition of climate misinformation to allow for international co-operation in tackling it. It is currently not recognised in the Paris Climate Agreement and was not included in the IPCC’s latest AR6 report. Without a clear definition and a recognition of the multi billion dollar industry that supports it, how can we confront it?
To the COP26 Presidency & UNFCCC:
The COP26 Presidency outlined a need for ‘a new work programme for climate empowerment, education, training and public awareness, participation and access to information’ in the COP26 Negotiated Outcome. We advocate for the ‘action against climate dis/misinformation based on the following definition’ to be included:
Climate disinformation and misinformation refers to deceptive or misleading content that:
- Undermines the existence or impacts of climate change, the unequivocal human influence on climate change, and the need for corresponding urgent action according to the IPCC scientific consensus and in line with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement;
- Misrepresents scientific data, including by omission or cherry-picking, in order to erode trust in climate science, climate-focused institutions, experts, and solutions; or
- Falsely publicises efforts as supportive of climate goals that in fact contribute to climate warming or contravene the scientific consensus on mitigation or adaptation.
To the CEOs of Facebook, Instagram, Google, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest and Reddit:
Implement climate misinformation and disinformation policies and enforcement that extend to content, algorithms and advertising, similar to the robust COVID 19 policies that have been published over the last 18 months (these policies should also be based on the definition above):
- Accept the official definition of climate disinformation and misinformation, as defined, at COP26.
- Produce and publicise a 100%-transparent company plan to eliminate the spread of climate disinformation on your platform. This plan should consider:
Community standards that do not permit deceptive statements on climate science or policy.
A 100%-transparent fact-checking process that includes how climate disinformation is categorised and handled by independent fact-checkers and how it is protected from politicisation by company staff.
Add an interstitial to disrupt potential climate misinformation, and ensure human checking on all posts flagged in this way. - Advertise your zero tolerance approach directly to users.
- Do not publish adverts if they contain climate misinformation or disinformation based on the definition.
- Share your internal research on how climate misinformation spreads on your platform with researchers and journalists so we can work together to tackle this global, multi-faceted issue.
COP26 is a perfect moment to start momentum for decision-makers to acknowledge the climate misinformation threat and, through global cooperation, to step up against it.
[To sign this letter, please fill out the form provided in this link]
Signed,
Organisations
SSE plc
Sky
Virgin Media O2
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth U.S.
WWF International
The Climate Reality Project
British Gas
Ben & Jerry’s
Green Britain Group — Ecotricity & Forest Green Rovers FC
Havas Media
Avaaz
Accenture Interactive
Alliance for Science
Global Witness
VCCP
Conscious Advertising Network
Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)
Centre for Countering Digital Hate
National Union of Students
InfluenceMap
Power Shift Africa
HOPE not hate
Coordinating Committee of the Climate Observatory, Brazil
Toast Ale
World Land Trust
Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA)
Eco-bot.net
Instituto Climainfo
Stop Funding Heat
AAR
38 Degrees
Brand Advance
JW Collective
ICE
Climate Disinformation Coalition
Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK)
Forum for the Future
Carnegie UK
Good-Loop
Community Energy England
Marshall Street Editors
Global Energy Monitor
LD Communications
TGN ltd
Too Many Dreams
Changing Markets Foundation
Fair Vote UK
Elevenfiftyfive Ltd
On the One
Anything is Possible
Empower Agency
Entropy
Wilderness Agency
Shiny Awards
Brandmint
Roq.ad
Hopscotch Consulting
Portas Agency Ltd
Assembly
Mobsta
Sarah Casterline Design, LLC
Responsible 100
CREOpoint, Inc.
Rally
Materials in Mind
DOT DOT DOT Group Ltd. / STRYKK (Elegantly Spirited)
KEAM GEORGE AGENCY
If Not Now Digital Ltd
Assembly
UKWIN
If Not Now
Hattusia and the Echo Chamber Club
Friends Provident Foundation
MCH London
Underdog Sports Marketing
The Lift
MCH London
YRS Truly
Media Bounty
Campaign Bootcamp
ClimateHero
Barn Owl Trust
Purpose Climate Lab
Freeda Media
Climate Cymru
EcoDewi
CND Cymru
Grwp Resilience CBC
Sustainable Wales
TYF Adventure
Energy Local CIC
Pro Adventure Ltd
Green Squirrel CIC
Afallen
Community Energy Wales
Frog Bikes
VsI “Ziedine ekonomika”
Mid Wales Arts
Sciaena
Carymor
Platypus Digital
Eglwys yng Nghymru / Church in Wales
Brand Advance
Deche Mobility
Swansea Environmental
EKCS Inc
Transform Scotland
Wild Justice
Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation
The Green web Foundation
Future Planet
Eating Better
mySociety
Twiglets Forest School
Asociat
Wholegrain Digital
Individuals
Laurence Tubiana — CEO European Climate Foundation
May Boeve, Executive Director, 350.org
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Lead Climate & Energy, COP20 President, Former Minister of Environment for Peru
Bill Hare, CEO, Climate Analytics
Baroness Bryony Worthington, Crossbench Peer, House of Lords
Mark Lynas, climate author and pro-science advocate
Sir Jonathon Porritt, Environmentalist and founder director of Forum for the Future
Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director at Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
Mohamed Adow, Director, Power Shift Africa
Dr. Sarah Evanega, Director, Alliance for Science
Paulo Roberto Jubilut, Biologist
Suzie Rook, Head of Brand and Design, SSE plc
Claire Carrington, Director of Business Services, SSE plc
Fiona Ball, Group Director, Bigger Picture, Sky
Jerry Daykin, Senior Media Director, GSK Consumer Healthcare
Simon Groves, Director of Brand and Marketing, Virgin Media O2
Andrew Middleton, Commercial Director, British Gas
Paul Polman, Co-founder & Chair, IMAGINE
Dr Dale Vince OBE, Green Britain Group — Ecotricity & Forest Green Rovers FC
Michael Khoo, Climate disinformation co-chair , Friends of the Earth U.S.
Robert Del Naja, Artist and Musician
Greg James, Global CSO, Havas Media
Ben Downing, Global Managing Director, Ethical Media & Strategic Partnerships, Havas Media
Nick Waters, Group CEO, Ebiquity Plc
The Right Reverend Dr. Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford
Dr Jonathan Barnard, CEO, World Land Trust
Laura Lesser, Culture & Innovation, Virgin Media O2
Amir Malik, MD, Accenture Interactive
Stephanie Brimacombe, CEO Europe and Global Chief Marketing Officer, VCCP Managing Director, Chime, VCCP
Harriet Kingaby, Co-Founder, Conscious
Advertising Network
Jake Dubbins, Co-Founder, Conscious Advertising Network
Tina Fegent, Director, Tina Fegent Ltd / Co-Chair of the GSD Board, CAN
Dino Myers-Lamptey, Founder, The Barber Shop / Co-Chair of the GSD Board, CAN
Kwai Chi, Principal Social Media Manager, Intuit
Jane White, Founder, JW Collective
Karen Carter, Director Enterprise Marketing, Europe, Cvent
Christopher Kenna, CEO Brand Advance Group
Victoria Fox, CEO, AAR
Leila Deen, ED of Purpose Climate Lab
Julia Masters, Campaign Manager, Climate Disinformation Coalition
Anita Howard, Strategy Director, ICE
John Mayes, Company Director / Editor, Marshall Street Editors
Neil Chivers, Owner/Director, LD Communications
Tom Newton, Founder, strategist, TGN ltd
Stephen Jenkins, Founder & MD, Too Many Dreams
Goerge Harding-Rolls, Campaigns Adviser, Changing Markets Foundation
Lena Roland, WARC
Clare Martynski, Communication and Engagement Officer, University of Leeds
Sarah Tulej, Sustainability consultant
Jacqueline Culleton, Consultant
Anna Biswas, Director, Forum for the Future India
Kyle Taylor, Director, Fair Vote UK
Ben Ross, Head of Aim4Zero, Real Estate. Verco
Ian Cartwright, Director, Elevenfiftyfive Ltd
Joanie Pennel, Comms and Marketing Manager
Sam Fenton-Elstone, CEO, Anything is Possible
Ben Matthews, Co-Founder and CEO, Empower Agency
Alex Tait, Founder, Entropy
Steven Mijovski, Director
Tom Jarvis, CEO & Founder, Wilderness Agency
Tess Alps, Council member, ASA
Caroline Bottomley, Managing Director, Shiny Awards
Angie Gola-Ebue, Founder, Intermediary
Simon Watson, Head of Digital, Republic of Media
Bethany Patton, Creative Director, Brandmint
Samuel Wheeler-Phillips, Head of Marketing
Alasdair Cross, VP Sales EMEA, Roq.ad
Mark Nicholson, Finance Director, Portas Agency Ltd
Kelly Conlon, Senior Strategy Manager, Assembly
Matt Longley, Managing Director, Mobsta
Ben Hardman, Founder, Tiny Eco Home Life
Sarah Casterline, Owner and Lead Creative, Sarah Casterline Design, LLC
Michael Solomon, Director, Responsible 100
Carol Edwards, Community Park Ranger
Neil Gunn, Head of Digital Transformation
Anna Rice, Responsible tourism manager
Lesley Duncan, Strategy Director, Forwardpmx
Paul de Gregorio, Founder, Rally
Sivah Akash, Associate
Paul Sampson, CEO, Lickd Ltd
Jack Horner, Founder, DOT DOT DOT Group Ltd. / STRYKK (Elegantly Spirited)
James Kirkham, Chief business officer, Defected Records
RICHARD DAWES, Founder, DawBell
Daniel Keam-George, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, KEAM GEORGE AGENCY
Chris Bettles, Director, If Not Now Digital Ltd
Mel Leslie, Consultant
Jeremy Paterson, MD, If media
Natalie Morris, Global Media & Marketing Consultant, Flock Associates
Will Pyne, Founder, Human Required
James Green, Senior Strategy Director, Assembly
Stan Mcleod, Product
Hanna Henshall, Director and Co-Founder, If Not Now
Raphael Kling David, climate activist- founder ECONFTS
Alex Stobart
Josey Bright, Associate Solicitor
Alice Thwaite, Founder, Hattusia and the Echo Chamber Club
Michael Hanbury-Williams, Group Director, Data Solutions & Sustainability
Donald MacKenzie, Professor of Sociology, University of Edinburgh
Mark Howarth, Managing Director, MCH London
Gina Walker, Director of Client Services, MCH London
Justin Cooke, Venture Partner, Northzone
Rosey Ellum, Digital Acquisition Manager
Richard Wright, Founder, Stand Up Marketing
Emilie Tornøe, Account executive, Mch London
Hamish Blair, Marketing Officer, Gwent Wildlife Trust
Ged Colleypriest, Founder, Underdog Sports Marketing
Louise Brown, Supporter Relations Supervisor, Friends of the Earth
Miranda Romero, Head of Sustainability, The Lift
Sarah Greenfield Clark, Director, Climate 2025
Liam Garcia Lillis, Director, The Movements Trust
Amanda Nikolic, Graphic/Digital Designer, MCH London
MJ Widomska, Founder and creative director, YRS Truly
Emma Tozer, Co-founder, Media Bounty
Sarah Miguel, Head of Income Generation, Campaign Bootcamp
Amy Williams, CEO, Good-Loop
Nillie Munir, Sponsorship, Virgin Media O2
Jason Hocking, Managing Director, CC Lab
Şehnaz Kiymaz Bahçeci, Feminist Activist
Russell Macdonald, Chief Technologist, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Vanessa Lewis, Admin assistant, Barn Owl Trust
Mike Barry, Mike Barry Eco Ltd
Emma Bridge, Chief Executive, Community Energy England,
Polly Hibbert, Head of Product, Freeda Media
Dan Keenan, Director, Digital Delivery, Merkle
Sam Ward, Campaign manager, Climate Cymru
Professor Emeritus Robin Attfield, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Cardiff University, Cardiff and District United Nations Association
Jeremy Wadia, Co-founder, EcoDewi
Margaret Minhinnick, Director, Sustainable Wales
Andy Middleton, Chief Exploration Officer, TYF Adventure
Mary Gillie, Director, Energy Local CIC
Nick Lowles, CEO, HOPE not hate
Peter Carol, Owner Director, Pro Adventure Ltd
Ffion Rees, Director, Falcon Boats
Hannah Garcia, Director, Green Squirrel CIC
Rebecca Clark, Director, Green Squirrel CIC
Stuart Elliott, Church in Wales Vicar and Member of C.H.A.S.E.
Domantas Tracevicius, Director, VsI “Ziedine ekonomika”
John Mansfield, Managing Director, Pembrokeshire Seaweeds Ltd
Gonçalo Carvalho, Executive Coordinator, Sciaena
Brandi Guerkink, Mozilla
Steve Hynd, Policy Manager, City to Sea
Delphine Levi Alvares, European Coordinator, Break Free From Plastic
Owen Haines, Volunteer director, Carymor
György Szabó, Zero Waste Program Manager
Will Cardy, Director of Digital Marketing, Platypus Digital
Stuart Elliott, Vicar and member of C.H.A.S.E.
Melanie Lawson Wall, Director of People and Wellbeing, Brand Advance
Suzanne Iuppa, Director & Co-Founder, Deche Mobility
Robert Berkeley, CEO, EKCS Inc
Jane Lawton, Chief Development and Communications Officer, Forum for the Future
Lucinda Thurmer, Marketing Manager
Chris Adams, Co-director, The Green web Foundation
Carl Pratt, Founder & Creative Director, Future Planet
Louise Workman-Dent, Group curriculum director, New City College
Patrick S McCool, Passivhaus Developer, Proven Cool Build, Lda
Tom Ollerton, Founder, Automated Creative
Louisa Ziane, Chief Operating Officer, Toast Ale
Chloe Wells, Director, Twiglets Forest School
Michael Brown, CEO/Founder, Asociat
Délcio Rodrigues, CEO, Instituto Climainfo
Flavia Bellaguarda, FOUNDER, LACLIMA
Dilip Shukla, Managing Director, Brand Advance
Hugh Knowles, Co-Executive Director, Friends of the Earth — England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Vineeta Greenwood, Wholegrain Digital
