Fundación Maldita.es is launching CINet (Climate Investigation Network for Countering Disinformation), a project funded by Journalismfund Europe that aims to strengthen the capacities of local and regional journalists across Spain to identify, analyse and investigate coordinated climate disinformation campaigns.
The initiative comes at a time when disinformation related to climate change and environmental issues is having an increasing impact on public debate. At the European level, this phenomenon is often understood as part of broader strategies of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI).
The project will run for six months and will combine online training, in-person activities and specialised mentoring. Approximately 50 local journalists will participate in an online training programme covering trends, tools and methodologies for investigating climate disinformation, including the analysis of coordinated narratives, information manipulation campaigns and FIMI-related phenomena linked to climate and environmental issues.
Subsequently, at least 20 participants will be selected to take part in an intensive one-and-a-half-day training programme in Madrid, where they will develop their own investigations with the support of the Maldita.es team.
The project will also incorporate the use of La Buloteca, Maldita.es’ citizen collaboration platform, as a tool to help journalists identify potential cases of climate disinformation, understand citizens’ concerns and access relevant information for their investigations.
Among the expected outcomes of the project is the consolidation of a network of local journalists working to counter climate disinformation.
What will Fundación Maldita.es do?
Maldita.es will lead the design and delivery of the training programme, the organisation of project activities, participant mentoring and support for the development of investigations into climate disinformation.
The organisation will also contribute its expertise in narrative analysis, OSINT techniques, disinformation campaign investigations and the study of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), drawing on its experience in several European initiatives focused on information threats and media resilience.
How much funding will Maldita.es receive for the project?
CINet is funded by Journalismfund Europe, a European organisation dedicated to supporting investigative journalism. Fundación Maldita.es will receive €21,792 to carry out the planned activities between June and December 2026.