United Nations and its partners have introduced new global priorities to promote the accuracy, transparency and accountability of artificial intelligence (AI) in climate communication, as growing reliance on the technology raises concerns about misinformation and its environmental footprint.

The Priorities for Action on AI and Climate Information Integrity were launched at the COP31 Climate Conference in Antalya, Türkiye, by the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, co-chaired by the United Nations, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Brazil.

The guidance seeks to address two interconnected challenges: ensuring that people receive credible climate information through AI-powered systems and improving public understanding of the technology’s environmental costs, including its energy consumption and use of natural resources.

According to Charlotte Scaddan, Information Integrity Senior Advisor at UN Global Communications, “the question isn’t simply whether AI is good or bad for the climate. It’s whether people can rely on what they’re told by AI and about it.”

Strengthening Accountability in AI Systems

The new priorities come amid growing concerns about the reliability of AI-generated information, particularly as more people turn to digital platforms for explanations of climate change, environmental risks and possible solutions.

The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, established by the UN General Assembly in 2025, has cautioned that “producing fluent text is easier than producing factual text.”

The guidance therefore calls on AI companies to assess how their systems influence the integrity of climate information, publish their findings and disclose their environmental footprints.

These disclosures are expected to cover energy consumption and the carbon, water and land resources associated with developing and operating AI systems.

Governments are also being urged to incorporate information integrity into their national AI strategies and climate plans, ensuring that policies governing the technology address both the quality of information it generates and its environmental implications.

Grounded in human rights, the priorities build on the Belém Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change, launched at COP30 in Brazil in November 2025, and the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity.

The initiative further addresses the threat of climate misinformation during emergencies, as AI-generated images and videos can circulate quickly, spreading inaccurate accounts of disasters ahead of official updates.

Such content undermines public understanding of climate-related threats and complicates efforts by authorities and humanitarian organisations to communicate reliable warnings and response information.

New Charter Targets Climate Disinformation in Advertising

Alongside the AI guidance, the launch in Antalya also featured the Charter for Climate Information Integrity in Advertising, an initiative aimed at addressing the role of advertising systems in financing and spreading misleading climate narratives.

The charter seeks to tackle practices including the “monetization of disinformation and denial,” according to Jake Dubbins, co-founder of the Conscious Advertising Network.

It calls for greater transparency throughout the advertising supply chain, giving advertisers clearer visibility over where their advertisements appear while maintaining respect for users’ privacy.

The partners behind the Global Initiative have also called for increased investment in research, communication strategies and public awareness campaigns to strengthen the information environment surrounding climate change.

Germany has committed more than $2.2 million to support these efforts, including research and initiatives designed to improve public understanding of climate issues.

The developments build on growing international recognition of information integrity as an essential part of climate governance.

At COP30 in Belém, the final Mutirão Decision formally recognised its importance for effective climate action, marking the first time the issue was embedded in an international climate decision.

COP31, which is taking place in Antalya, is addressing 10 priority themes, including the clean energy transition, electrification, zero waste and climate-resilient cities.

The conference is scheduled to conclude on 20 November 2026.