Press release. Fighting fake news at COP30: Journalists report the climate crisis from Belém

Press Release

As COP30 opens in the heart of the Amazon, the fight against fake news has become an issue impossible to ignore.

Already before the summit opened, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron publicly warned of the dangers of climate disinformation. Earlier this year, the Brazilian government, together with UNESCO, launched the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change to strengthen information integrity during and beyond COP30. A recent report released by the Coalition Against Climate Disinformation shows a 267% increase in COP-related disinformation between July and September 2025 — more than 14,000 examples of misleading or false content.

Strengthening climate journalism
Against this backdrop, 25 journalists from Brazil, India, Kenya and South Africa are covering the “Amazonian COP” as part of the Danida Fellowship Centre’s learning programme, #2025. Reporting from the Frontline of the Global Climate Crisis in an Era of Fake News.

From 16 to 21 November, the journalists will report directly from COP30 to their home audiences. Their work will build on intensive training in science journalism, fact-checking, investigative methods and constructive journalism, through a two-week learning programme in Copenhagen, Denmark in September this year, alongside online preparatory sessions. Read more here

Eva Bisgaard Pedersen, Danish Ambassador to Brazil, says:

“Danida fellowship Centre’s learning programme is about the importance of reporting on climate change and its consequences. At the same time it aims to contribute constructively to the fight against climate mis and disinformation, a democratic problem that needs to be addressed from many angles, including by exchanges between journalists. We hope the programme can bring many insights from the participants and bring climate reporting to the fore for discussion and reflection.”

Ulla Næsby Tawiah, Director of Danida Fellowship Centre, says;

“The issues discussed at COP are of vital importance to the whole world. It is therefore essential that journalists understand the global context, can navigate the complexity of the climate crisis, and report with integrity and a solid factual foundation.”

This is the third edition of Danida Fellowship Centre’s journalism programme that builds capacity to counter misinformation and strengthen public understanding of the global climate agenda.

A full list of articles and broadcasts produced by the participating journalists can be found here, and behind-the-scenes coverage from the group will be shared on Instagram at @COPunfiltered before and during COP30.

For further information:
Vibeke Quaade, email: vq@dfcentre.dk
Senior Communications Consultant
Danida Fellowship Centre

The learning programme # 2025. Reporting from the Frontline of the Global Climate Crisis in an Era of Fake News is organised by Danida Fellowship Centre in collaboration with the Danish Embassies in Brazil, India, Kenya and South Africa.

Participating media outlets include: Amazônia Vox, Jornal Varadouro, Infoamazonia, Folha de S.Paulo, Editora Magia de Ler (Joca and TINO Econômico), Aos Fatos, O Estado de S.Paulo, Jornal Joca, R7 – Record Brasília, The Hindu, Mongabay India, The Print, The Indian Express, Press Trust of India, The News Minute, Hindustan Times, The Quint, The Wire, Standard Media Group Plc, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Newzroom Afrika, The Progress Playbook / News24, Arena Holdings, Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism, and Daily Maverick.

Partner organisations include: TjekDet, Videnskab.dk, Constructive Institute, Danwatch, DR’s (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) climate editorial team, Politiken, UNESCO, UNEP, State of Green, Food Nation, WWF, Havn & By (Copenhagen), the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities of Denmark, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Royal Danish Embassies in Brazil, India, Kenya and South Africa, the International Press Centre, CARE Denmark, DanChurchAid, African Futures Policy Hub, UniCEUB, Inka Consult, Globalnyt.dk, Middelgrunden, and the journalists from the 2022 and 2023 programmes Reporting from the African Frontline of the Global Climate Crisis.

With funding from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danida Fellowship Centre offers learning opportunities to partners and fellows from Denmark’s development cooperation partner countries.

 

 

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