How prepared are we really to recognise climate disinformation?
CLIMAware is a European project fighting climate mis- and disinformation through media literacy and critical thinking. We build free tools — FactSheets, an interactive ToolBox, and hands-on workshops — for citizens, educators, journalists, policymakers, and groups often left out: people with low literacy, disabilities, or affected by conflict.
The impacts are already here
How it works
A survey of 500+ people maps what Europeans get wrong about climate change.
Climate experts shape the ToolBox and FactSheets.
100+ citizens and 25 experts try the tools, from rural villages to war-affected regions.
Fact-checking workshops and exhibitions bring media literacy to the public.
An EU-wide campaign embeds our tools in schools and media networks.
Turning ideas into a plan
Our objectives
Critical thinking
Sharper critical thinking about climate change.
Countering disinformation
Countering disinformation without amplifying it.
Empowering communities
Empowering vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Public conversation
A more informed public conversation.
European cooperation
Stronger cooperation across Europe.
Science, made visible
Science made visual, accessible, shareable.
Sources: Lynas et al. (2023), Alliance for Science · European Commission, IP/25/1376 (2025).
Key terms
Disinformation
False content shared on purpose.
Misinformation
False content shared by mistake.
Malinformation
True content used to mislead.
The stakes: a changing climate
Why it works — and how we respond
Today's climate disinformation rarely denies the science outright. It admits climate change is real, then blames the wrong people or claims it's too late. It spreads fast because repetition feels like proof — and false news travels 70% faster online than the truth.
CLIMAware counters it with evidence-based methods:
Lead with the fact, name the myth briefly, close with the fact.
Expose the trick before it spreads.
Fake experts, logical fallacies, impossible standards, cherry-picking, conspiracy theories.
99%+ of climate scientists agree humans cause climate change.
Hope moves people; despair doesn't.
Who this reaches
Turning news consumers into active fact-checkers is at the core of our mission — with tools tailored to how different groups actually encounter climate information.
Bridging the gap between peer-reviewed climate science and everyday media consumption, to help tell real science from online fakes.
Cultivating early-stage critical thinking and digital literacy skills to spot digital tricks early.
Delivering simple, practical verification tools designed for everyone, regardless of connectivity or resources.
Providing tailored strategies to navigate chaotic and overwhelming news environments.
Also reaching:
Six content pillars, one purpose
Myth vs Fact
Clear answers to common climate misconceptions.
AI Fakes & Manipulation
Spotting synthetic media and manipulated visuals.
Climate Science, Made Simple
Real data, visual and multilingual.
Citizen Fact-Checking
Hands-on workshops, not lectures.
Media Literacy Resources
Ready-to-use resources for classrooms.
Human Stories
Real people, real communities, real impact.
Since August 2026, the EU AI Act's transparency obligations (Article 50) require machine-readable marking of AI-generated content and disclosure of deepfakes. Transparency alone won't eliminate misinformation — but it gives people stronger signals to assess what they see, read and share, which is exactly what our AI Fakes & Manipulation pillar builds on.
Curious who makes this happen?
Meet the six organisations behind CLIMAware.