In light of these two dimensions of AI, there is an urgent need for AI-based solutions to combat climate mis/disinformation, which has become a global concern. This issue was addressed during two international conferences: UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week in Paris in September 2024 and at the 9th Climate Energy Summit in Seoul, South Korea, in June 2025. I had the privilege of serving as a speaker at both events, where the significance of employing digital tools – particularly artificial intelligence (AI) – in a thoughtful and inclusive manner was underscored.

 

Climate Mis/Disinformation in Indonesia

 

Indonesia, home to 12% of the world’s mammal species and possesses the third-largest tropical rainforest, serves as a prime example of this phenomenon. This underscores the significance of the role in the global climate conversation (Maulana et al., 2019; Setiawan, 2022). Consequently, addressing climate mis/disinformation in Indonesia is imperative as part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure that digital and environmental transitions are inclusive, well-informed, and connected to local realities. This assertion is particularly salient in the context of Indonesia, where the prevalence of climate change deniers has increased from 22% in 2021 to 24.2% in 2024 (YouGov, 2021).

 

The phenomenon of climate change denial in Indonesia is influenced by multiple factors. First, there is a general lack of public understanding of the climate crisis, making people susceptible to mis/disinformation. Second, climate issues are often politicized, and environmental disasters are exploited to criticize political figures rather than addressing the underlying causes. For instance, misinformation regarding flood management failures in Jakarta during the governors’ tenure was utilized to discredit them (Kurnia et al., 2024). Third, religious beliefs play a significant role, as some people interpret natural disasters as divine retribution. For instance, one-third of the respondents expressed the conviction that the climate change crisis is caused by an increase in two phenomena: sinful behavior and disobedience to religious teachings (21.5% agreed and 11% strongly agreed). This perception is further solidified by the content that establishes a causal relationship between religious values and natural disasters in a cause-and-effect narrative (Kurnia et al., 2024). Finally, the intricate media environment of Indonesia, coupled with disparate digital literacy levels, facilitates the propagation of misleading information.

 

In response to these challenges, various multi-stakeholder groups have launched initiatives to combat climate mis/disinformation, including fact-checking and digital literacy programs. One such effort is the arrival of FaktaIklim, an open-source platform with a website and chatbot. Faktalklim is a collaboration between FAIR Forward “Artificial Intelligence for All” and Prosa.AI, which develops AI solutions on climate misinformation (Hasyim, 2025). It offers climate-related information with a strong local and contextual focus, providing users with the following advantages. First, users can search FaktaIklim for information related to mis/disinformation. Second, users can view statistics on mis/disinformation trends on social media. Third, users can access a list of the latest articles, which can be filtered by topic. Fourth, users can report detection errors or new mis/disinformation findings. Lastly, users can validate information through the chatbot. What makes FaktaIklim unique is its inclusion of local languages, such as Minangkabau, Balinese, and Buginese, in addition to Indonesian and English. Though currently limited to three Indonesian local languages, the inclusion of these languages is significant in a country like Indonesia, which has hundreds of local languages.

 

Concurrently, the Centre for Digital Society (CfDS) at Gadjah Mada University work has initiated an internet campaign and community outreach program as a component of its 2024 research project, entitled “Tackling Climate misinformation in Indonesia”. The campaign encompasses a total of 24 pieces of content focused on climate change, shared across prominent social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and X/Twitter. It has been demonstrated that certain examples exist that address misconceptions about climate change that lead to misinformation. The Training of Trainers community outreach program, which includes 380 students from Java and Bali, is focused on the production of positive information related to various topics, especially environmental protection practices.

 

These examples illustrate the need to address the dissemination of misinformation regarding to climate change in Indonesia through a collaborative effort that integrates artificial intelligence. This initiative necessitates the involvement of a diverse array of stakeholders.

 

Recommendation in combating Climate Mis/Disinformation

 

The rapid circulation of climate mis/disinformation in the AI era requires concerted efforts involving a diverse array of stakeholders, including governments, digital platforms, and relevant civil society communities.

 

Governments bear the responsibility of formulating precise policies and regulations that addresses the dissemination of mis/disinformation pertaining to the climate crisis. However, it is imperative that any measures taken include several key elements. First, it is incumbent upon governments to ensure that all citizens have fair and affordable access to information. The utilization of technological tools to access remote communities has the potential to democratize climate information and address existing information gaps (Hafernan, 2024). Second, governments must prioritize the enhancement of digital and media literacy among the population. Programs that promote climate-related digital literacy programs are essential for empowering the public, as disinformation requires citizens to develop critical thinking skills (Hafernan, 2024).

 

Third, it is incumbent upon governments to proactively engage in content moderation and to furnish digital platforms that empower individuals from the Global South to express themselves. These efforts are imperative for governments in both the Global South and The Global North to address the marginalization and exclusion of local communities from global discourses, which is often influenced colonial narratives and frameworks (Udupa et al., 2023; Shahid et al., 2025). This is of particular consequences given the tendency of especially important since global technology companies to marginalize the voices and concerns of nations in the Global South. Finally, governments should provide support for local initiatives to ensure that climate narratives in the media are more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.

 

Digital platforms must assume responsibility for providing accurate climate information. First, they must be transparent about how their algorithms function, as algorithmic amplification can exacerbate the phenomenon of echo chambers and mis/disinformation (Al-Fatih et al., 2024). Second, digital platforms should proactively moderate content by filtering out false or misleading climate narratives and promoting credible, science-based sources (Purnama, 2024). In addition, they should support independent fact-checking efforts and apply clear warning labels to contents flagged as misinformation, thereby helping users to identify trustworthy information. Third, digital platforms should empower users by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to identify misinformation, thereby promoting digital and climate literacy. Fourth, it is imperative for platforms to engage in collaborative efforts with scientists, educators, fact-checkers, and civil society to build trust and accountability. Ultimately, platforms must prioritize the public interest by amplifying high-quality, accessible climate information, as this directly impacts public understanding and policy support for addressing the climate crisis.

 

It should be noted that relevant communities of experts and civil society actors can also contribute to the active counteraction of climate crisis mis/disinformation. Academics and educators have the capacity to contribute to the identification of problems and the formulation of academic and practical solutions in the education sector. Fact-checkers can enhance their ability to employ AI ethically in order to evaluate climate mis/disinformation created by humans and AI. Journalists have the capacity to enhance the caliber of climate-related news. Environmental and climate activists, religious and community leaders, influencers, and digital literacy activists can leverage their contributions, ideally collaboratively, to disseminate accurate climate information.

 

In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), it is imperative for all relevant stakeholders to establish a robust collaborative alliance to more effectively address the dissemination of misinformation regarding climate change. The utilization of AI is significant in the realm of fact-checking and the fabrication of precise information concerning climate change, enabling the provision of a counter-narrative to discredit misinformation. However, the utilization of AI also necessitates a cognizant approach to mitigate potential risks, including algorithmic bias and potential misuse. Moreover, the ethical application of AI must be prioritized. To achieve this, we need inclusive digital literacy programs and a resilient digital ecosystern. Taking this approach to address climate mis/disinformation in this way can contribute to a sustainable and inclusive solution to the climate crisis. ■

 

References

 

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Galaz, Victor, Henrik Metzler, Stefan Daume, Annika Olsson, Björn Lindström, and Anders Marklund. 2023. “AI could create a perfect storm of climate misinformation”,Stockholm Resilience Centre and Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics. http://arxiv.org/abs/2306.12807

 

Galaz, Victor, Henrik Metzler, Stefan Daume, Annika Olsson, Björn Lindström, and Anders Marklund. 2023. “AI could create a perfect storm of climate misinformation”,Stockholm Resilience Centre and Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics. http://arxiv.org/abs/2306.12807

 

Hafernan, Ainsley. 2024. “Countering climate disinformation in Africa”,Centre for International Governance Innovation. https://www.cigionline.org/publications/countering-climate-disinformation-in-africa/

 

Hasyim, Idham. 2025. “FaktaIklim, platform AI penangkal informasi palsu soal iklim”,Tempo.co, March 13. https://www.tempo.co/lingkungan/faktaiklim-platform-ai-penangkal-informasi-palsu-soal-iklim-1219084

 

Ipsos. 2024. “Hari Bumi Indonesia 2024: Kesadaran & dukungan publik terhadap aksi iklim global” April. https://www.ipsos.com/en-id/hari-bumi-indonesia-2024

 

Kurnia, Novi, Treviliana Eka Putri, Amelinda Pandu Kusumaningtyas, Firya Qurratu’ain Abisono, Alfredo Putrawidjoyo, Muhammad Perdana Sasmita Jati-Karim, and Bhredipta Cresti Socarana. 2024. “Tackling climate crisis misinformation in Indonesia”,Center for Digital Society, Universitas Gadjah Mada, ISIF ASIA, APNIC Foundation. https://digitalsociety.id/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Eng-Ver_Report-Monograph-ISIF-APNIC_ALL.pdf

 

Maulana, Agus, Purwo Suryanto, Wahyu Widiyatno, Endang Faridah, and Bambang Suwignyo. 2019. “Dinamika suksesi vegetasi pada areal paska perladangan berpindah di Kalimantan Tengah”,Jurnal Ilmu Kehutanan, 13: 181–194

 

Meijers, Maurits J., Yvonne Van Drunen, and Kristof Jacobs. 2023. “It’s a hoax! The mediating factors of populist climate policy opposition”,West European Politics, 46(7): 1288–1311. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2022.2145447

 

Purnama, Harsya. 2024. “Comparison of fact-checking principles of misinformation and disinformation in social media in Indonesia”,CoverAge: Journal of Strategic Communication, 14(2): 102–114. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/618070388.pdf

 

Setiawan, Agus. 2022. “Keragaman hayati di Indonesia: Masalah dan upaya konservasinya”,Indonesian Journal of Conservation, 11(1): 13–21.

 

Shahid, Fatema, Mona Elswah, and Akash Vashistha. 2025. “Think outside the data: Colonial biases and systernic issues in automated moderation pipelines for low-resource languages”,arXiv preprint, January. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2501.13836

 

Udupa, Sahana, Alexandros Maronikolakis, and Adrian Wisiorek. 2023. “Ethical scaling for content moderation: Extreme speech and the (in)significance of artificial intelligence”,Big Data & Society, 10(1): 20539517231172424. https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517231172424

 

Vu, Hong T., Ayshia Baines, and Nhung Nguyen. 2023. “Fact-checking climate change: An analysis of claims and verification practices by fact-checkers in four countries”,Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 100(2): 286–307. https://doi.org/10.1177/10776990221149848

 

Wardle, Claire. 2019. “Understanding information disorder”,First Draft. https://firstdraftnews.org/long-form-article/understanding-information-disorder/

 

YouGov. 2021. “The Globalism Project”,YouGov PLC. https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/5pth7rkugw/YouGov%20Cambridge%20-%20Globalism%202021%20-%20OMGLOB131%20CONSPIRACY%20THEORIES.pdf

 

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■ Novi Kurnia is the Head of the Postgraduate Program in Communication Science at Universitas Gadjah Mada.

 

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■ Edited by Jaehyun Im, Research Associate
    For inquiries: 02 2277 0746 (ext. 209) | jhim@eai.or.kr