Automated Fact-Checking of Climate Claims with Large Language Models

Swiss Finance Institute Research Paper No. 24-93

Forthcoming, Nature Climate Action

60 Pages Posted: 8 Mar 2024 Last revised: 4 Feb 2025

See all articles by Markus Leippold

Markus Leippold

University of Zurich; Swiss Finance Institute

Saeid Vaghefi

University of Zurich

Veruska Muccione

University of Zurich - Department of Geography; University of Geneva - Institute for Environmental Sciences

Julia Bingler

University of Oxford

Dominik Stammbach

ETH Zürich

Chiara Colesanti Senni

University of Zurich - Department of Finance

Jingwei Ni

ETH Zurich

Tobias Wekhof

ETH Zürich - CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research at ETH Zurich

Tingyu Yu

University of Zurich - Department Finance

Tobias Schimanski

University of Zurich

Glen Gostlow

University of Zurich - Department Finance

Jürg Luterbacher

World Health Organization (WHO) - World Health Organization, Geneva

Christian Huggel

University of Zurich

Date Written: February 19, 2024

Abstract

Accurate identification of true versus false climate information in the digital age is critical. Misinformation can significantly affect public understanding and policymaking. Automated fact-checking seeks to validate claims against trustworthy factual data. This study tackles the challenge of fact-checking climate claims by leveraging the currently most capable Large Language Models (LLMs). To this end, we introduce CLIMINATOR, an acronym for CLImate Mediator for INformed Analysis and Transparent Objective Reasoning. It significantly boosts the performance of automated fact-checking by integrating authoritative, up-to-date sources within a novel debating framework. This framework provides a trustworthy and context aware analysis incorporating multiple scientific viewpoints. CLIMINATOR helps identify misinformation in real time and facilitates informed dialogue on climate change, highlighting AI’s role in environmental discussions and policy with reliable data.

Suggested Citation

Leippold, Markus and Vaghefi, Saeid and Muccione, Veruska and Bingler, Julia and Stammbach, Dominik and Colesanti Senni, Chiara and Ni, Jingwei and Wekhof, Tobias and Yu, Tingyu and Schimanski, Tobias and Gostlow, Glen and Luterbacher, Jürg and Huggel, Christian, Automated Fact-Checking of Climate Claims with Large Language Models (February 19, 2024). Swiss Finance Institute Research Paper No. 24-93, Forthcoming, Nature Climate Action, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4731802 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4731802

Markus Leippold (Contact Author)

University of Zurich ( email )

Rämistrasse 71
Zürich, CH-8006
Switzerland

Swiss Finance Institute ( email )

c/o University of Geneva
40, Bd du Pont-d'Arve
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Switzerland

Saeid Vaghefi

University of Zurich ( email )

Veruska Muccione

University of Zurich - Department of Geography ( email )

University of Geneva - Institute for Environmental Sciences ( email )

Julia Bingler

University of Oxford ( email )

Mansfield Road
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4AU
United Kingdom

Dominik Stammbach

ETH Zürich ( email )

Zürichbergstrasse 18
8092 Zurich, CH-1015
Switzerland

Chiara Colesanti Senni

University of Zurich - Department of Finance ( email )

Plattenstr 32
Zurich, 8032
Switzerland

Jingwei Ni

ETH Zurich ( email )

Tobias Wekhof

ETH Zürich - CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research at ETH Zurich ( email )

Zürichbergstrasse 18
Zurich, 8092
Switzerland
+41 44 633 80 78 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://sites.google.com/view/tobiaswekhof

Tingyu Yu

University of Zurich - Department Finance ( email )

Schönberggasse 1
Zürich, 8001
Switzerland

Tobias Schimanski

University of Zurich ( email )

Schönberggasse 1
Zürich, 8001
Switzerland

Glen Gostlow

University of Zurich - Department Finance ( email )

Schönberggasse 1
Zürich, 8001
Switzerland

Jürg Luterbacher

World Health Organization (WHO) - World Health Organization, Geneva ( email )

Christian Huggel

University of Zurich ( email )

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