Final code removes caution to high emissions industries and allows the use of offsets for net zero claims.
The final Environmental Claims Code released today by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) gives a green light to fossil fuel greenwashing – after being weakened from the Exposure Draft.
In particular, the Code removes a caution to emissions intensive businesses making green claims, and a reference to fossil fuels.
It also allows climate polluters to base emissions reduction claims on the use of offsets.
Belinda Noble, founder of Comms Declare said, “Unfortunately this shows that greenwashing won’t be stamped out by self-regulation.
“Under this Code, Ampol can still advertise carbon neutral petrol or coal giant Glencore can still say that it is ‘laying the foundations of a low carbon future’.
“We call on the Senate Inquiry into Greenwashing to take this into account when making recommendations about new laws later this year.”
More than 40 jurisdictions around the world have enacted some form of restriction on coal, oil and gas advertising. Earlier this year UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ban saying, “Many governments restrict or prohibit advertising for products that harm human health, like tobacco,” and “I urge every country to ban advertising from fossil-fuel companies. And I urge news media and tech companies to stop taking fossil-fuel advertising.”
