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Rammed

The advertising that’s killing our climate goals

2024 UPDATE

Reducing demand for the largest SUVs, Utes and American-style trucks would reduce air pollution, sickness and greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the Report

Australia’s SUV and 4×4 obsession is a carbon time bomb. Our vehicle emissions are on the increase because we are buying more and more carbon-belching road hogs.

The IPCC’s 2023 warning is clear: Act now or pay dearly. Yet, Australia lacks laws restricting the advertising of these gas-guzzling beasts.

Car importers spent $651 million on ads in 2023 and information on fuel emissions is not mandatory on car advertising or websites, unlike some country’s overseas.

In addition, advertising spending on the largest, most polluting vehicles continues to soar.

Australia, it’s time to take real action in the fight against car pollution.

AwareDeclareAct 

AwareDeclareAct 

AwareDeclareAct 

AwareDeclareAct 

AwareDeclareAct 

FAQs

Who can join Comms Declare?

All communication, marketing, media, creative and advertising professionals. Do you craft, promote, sell or place messages that have the potential to reach and influence many people? Do you care about the climate crisis? If so, this movement is for you.

Members include comms professionals from all sectors including marketers, journalists, creatives, media traders & advertisers, public relations experts, content producers, strategists, advertising & marketing technology specialists, social media influencers, professional bloggers, authors and many more.

Why should communicators declare?

Climate breakdown is one of the most serious issues of our time.

As communicators, we know that words matter. The pen is mightier than the sword, and our industries hold great influence over the messages that reach the public and the projects that gain social licence.

We craft, promote, sell and place messages, both written and visual, that are seen by millions and help to shape our culture, values and future. Collectively, we have great power, and we need to use it wisely.

For too long our industries have been helping companies that produce greenhouse gas pollution by furthering their interests and protecting their reputations.

Declare
I declare my work as a communicator will not support any activities,
organisations or individuals that promote:
• the growth of fossil fuels
• the continuation of high greenhouse gas pollution as business as
usual
• deception, distraction or spin around science or climate actions.

What do I have to do if I declare?

After joining, you can be involved as little or as much as you like.

DECLARING is powerful as it helps to demonstrate there are many people in our industries who recognise the gravity of the climate situation and are actively choosing not to contribute to it through their work. This puts moral pressure on those choosing otherwise and encourages them to re-evaluate.

If you have capacity, we are always in need of assistance to help operate the organisation and mobilise more people. Every year we hold elections for the voluntary committee.

Declare now.

What kind of comms work is ‘against the rules’?

None of us are perfect and it’s almost impossible to avoid marketing or advertising work that doesn’t involve some climate impact.

We draw the line at promoting the growth of fossil fuels or treating high greenhouse gas pollution as ‘business as usual’.

We ask our members to not work with any of Australia’s largest greenhouse gas polluters.

And we ask members who are working with companies that are damaging the climate to encourage transparency and not greenwashing.

How can I donate to Comms Declare?

Please donate to help cover our costs. There are two options:

1.  Donate via PayPal

2. Direct deposit using the reference ‘donation’ to:

Comms Declare
BSB: 313149
Account: 12358863

We can arrange for larger donations to be tax deductible. Please email us for details at hello@commsdeclare.org.

Comms Declare policy to not act as a mere conduit.

Any allocation of funds or property to other persons or organisations will be made in accordance with the established purposes of the organisation and will not be influenced by the preference of the donor.
The organisation will not pass a donation of money or property to other organisations, bodies or persons as a condition of a donation. The funds will only being expended as per the objects of Comms Declare Inc.

How do you define a fossil fuel company?

Companies whose primary business is the extraction, processing, transportation, or sale of oil, gas, or coal

Utilities and Electric Cooperatives that meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Generate 50% or more of their electricity from fossil fuels
  • Generate 50% or more of their revenue from business in fossil fuels
  • Play an active role in funding new fossil fuel infrastructure

Trade associations or other industry-funded nonprofit groups representing the interests of these companies, utilities, or cooperatives

Any new entity meant to advance the message or goals of the above companies or groups, while obscuring or hiding their financial contributions.

To contact the Comms Declare team, please email

Please note the team are mainly volunteers, so please be patient if it takes a little while for us to respond.

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