Two thirds (65%) of Londoners say that climate disinformation is prominent on social media.

The statistic was cited by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, at the COP31 UN Climate Change Conference yesterday, where the Mayor urged world leaders to strengthen their efforts to stop climate disinformation.

At the conference in Türkiye, the Mayor warned that public trust is being compromised by the circulation of disinformation, which ‘undermines democratic debate and risks delaying action that can improve people’s health, create jobs and protect the environment’.

He called on world leaders to collaborate with cities to dispel climate falsehoods, while boosting ‘public confidence in action to protect the planet’.

Referencing the experience of addressing misleading claims about London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), the Mayor said that ‘London is no stranger to lies’.

‘When we expanded our clean air zone, now the largest in the world in 2023, we faced one of the most sophisticated disinformation campaigns ever seen. We overcame it and won. But evidence from all five continents shows London was just the canary in the coal mine’, he said.

He highlighted the study led by Queen Mary University of London, which revealed the ULEZ’s positive impact on children’s lung growth, with the Mayor emphasising the need for political leaders to back independent evidence such as this.

Furthermore, the release of new City Hall data yesterday unveiled the initiatives that are contributing to the delivery of cleaner air and healthier neighbourhoods – such as London’s zero-emission bus fleet and the Mayor’s London Plan that supports a reduction in energy demand and emissions from new buildings.

He said: ‘Climate disinformation is like a one-two punch to the planet and democracy. But here in Türkiye, we’re calling on the world to get its guard up to defend itself and mount a comeback – to deal a knockout blow to the dark forces distorting debate.’

‘It’s time to resist the attacks and stand up for the facts – with a relentless focus on unlocking the finance and expertise we need to fund climate action and adaptation around the world. London and other great cities around the world are showing we can overcome this challenge, we can win this fight and we can create a fairer, greener, healthier and more prosperous planet for everyone’, he added.