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UNESCO has raised fresh concerns about the reliability of artificial intelligence chatbots on climate issues, unveiling new research that found leading AI systems can be pressured into abandoning accurate climate facts and providing misleading information.

The findings are contained in a new report by UNESCO and University College London, due to be presented at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November.

According to UNESCO, the study assessed up to 33 leading AI models and examined their ability to provide accurate climate information and reason about the combined effects of climate policies. Researchers also compared performance across 13 languages and found significant differences in the quality and presentation of climate information between English and non-English languages.

The report comes as growing numbers of people turn to AI-powered chatbots for information on a wide range of topics, including climate change. UNESCO said the research highlights the risk that AI systems can be manipulated into generating false or misleading responses when users challenge established scientific facts.

"Without trusted information, societies cannot understand climate risks or act on them together," UNESCO said, warning that misinformation continues to undermine climate action globally.

The organisation also drew attention to mounting pressures on environmental journalists who play a key role in combating false narratives. UNESCO data show that more than 70% of environmental journalists surveyed have experienced attacks, threats or other forms of pressure, while 44 journalists covering environmental issues have been killed since 2009.

To address the challenge, UNESCO is promoting the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change (GIIICC), launched at COP30. The initiative has supported projects tracking financial networks behind climate disinformation campaigns in Africa, developing AI tools to identify fake news in real time, exposing greenwashing practices and researching the environmental consequences of armed conflict.

During COP31, UNESCO will host discussions bringing together governments, scientists, journalists, educators and civil society groups to explore practical responses to climate disinformation and strengthen information integrity as a foundation for climate action.

Beyond information challenges, UNESCO is also using the conference to highlight the role of education in addressing climate change. The organisation noted that less than 2% of global climate finance is directed toward education despite its importance in preparing future generations to respond to climate risks.

As part of UNESCO's Greening Education Partnership, Türkiye is set to become the 100th country to join the initiative during COP31's Youth and Education Day. Since its launch in 2022, the partnership has brought together more than 2,000 organisations and helped align over 110,000 schools with UNESCO's green school standards.

UNESCO is also expected to spotlight the climate value of its designated heritage and conservation sites. According to the organisation, these sites store an estimated 240 billion tonnes of carbon and account for around 15% of the world's forest carbon sink. However, climate-related hazards affecting the sites have increased by 40% over the past decade, with more than 600 sites potentially approaching critical ecological thresholds by 2050.

The agency argues that protecting cultural and natural heritage must be recognised as an essential component of climate action, helping preserve ecosystems, carbon stores and traditional knowledge that communities rely on to adapt to a changing climate.