Who owns the climate story? Narratives, trust and climate literacy for action

COP31
10 November 2026, h. 9:30–11:00 TRT (07:30–09:00 CET) | Antalya EXPO Center, Antalya, Türkiye – Italy Pavilion

The way climate change is communicated plays a key role in shaping public trust and driving action. The COP31 side event “Who owns the climate story? Narratives, trust and climate literacy for action” will explore how climate narratives influence public understanding and participation, bringing together communicators, researchers, youth practitioners, legal experts, and policymakers.

The event, hosted as part of the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) events programme, will take place at the Italy Pavilion (Antalya EXPO Center, Antalya, Türkiye) on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, from 9:30–11:00 TRT (07:30–09:00 CET) and is co-organized by The New Global Order ETS – Climate Disinformation Observatory (Osservatorio sulla Disinformazione Climatica), Fondazione Italia Digitale (Italy Digital Foundation) with the Agency for Energy and Sustainable Development (AESS), innòva think tank and TIWI, Fondazione Sorella Natura (Sister Nature Foundation), CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, International Development Law Organization (IDLO), and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA)

Following an opening by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), three thematic panels will address the role of narratives, youth, and digital tools in reshaping climate communication; how to recognize climate disinformation and communicate climate issues to non-experts; and how scientific and legal literacy, education, climate ethics, and policy can serve as levers for participation. Through these discussions, the event aims to move audiences from awareness to informed participation. The panel will feature contributions from representatives of national institutions, climate communication and research organizations, civil society, and international organizations.

AGENDA

Opening and framing
Domenico Repetto, Director of Institutional Communication (MASE)

Telling the climate story: narratives, youth and digital
Moderator: Giulia Marzetti

Nicola Bigi, President of TIWI and digital communication expert, Fondazione Italia Digitale
Timothy Lucie-Smith, Fondazione Sorella Natura
Joachim Herrn, Fondazione Sorella Natura

Spot the Spin: disinformation and climate literacy
Coordinated by the Climate Disinformation Observatory

Roberta Bosu, The New Global Order ETS – Climate Disinformation Observatory
Stefano Cisternino, The New Global Order ETS – Climate Disinformation Observatory
Lorenzo Schiarea, Fondazione Sorella Natura
Pınar Öncel, Negative Emissions Platform

From knowledge to action: literacy, education and trust
Moderator: Beatriz Beccari Barreto

Benedetta Brighenti, President of the Modena Agency for Energy and Sustainable Development (AESS), Fondazione Italia Digitale
Giulia Galluccio, CMCC Foundation
Alberto Pirni, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
Daniel Eggleston, IDLO

Closing remarks

Domenico Repetto, MASE
Alessio Pecoraro, Fondazione Italia Digitale

This event is one of the several CMCC contributions to COP31, the 31st edition of the Conference of the Parties (COP) organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

COP31 is a major United Nations climate conference that brings together world leaders, non-governmental organizations, and experts to negotiate and advance global actions to address climate change. The conference will focus on implementing international climate agreements and promoting sustainable development through priority actions to tackle the climate crisis.