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When it comes to the insidious techniques that the industry is using to undermine climate negotiations and delay progress, there are many. Here, we break down how marketing is used to put pressure on the individual rather than corporations.
Well, it’s that time of year again.
COP28 is now underway, promising once again to renew our international efforts for a cleaner future and a greener world. This year, the event announced it would be led by oil tycoon Sultan Al Jaber in the UAE, prompting doubts over COP’s legitimacy and spurring accusations of greenwashing.
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What is greenwashing? And why should you be concerned about deceptive practices that surround the fossil fuel industry, not just at COP28 but within your own life? This guide hopes to answer these questions and get you clued up on the realities of modern climate practices. Not all is what it seems.
If you haven’t yet, check out our first part in this ongoing series, where we dig a little deeper into two specific techniques – ‘astroturfing’ and ‘corporate personhood’ – used by fossil fuel lobbyists to mislead the public.
This time, we’ll be taking a look at some of the most mainstream and notable instances of greenwashing, and discuss how campaigns have placed an emphasis on individual action rather than larger corporations to make meaningful change. Buckle in, folks!
What is greenwashing and why should you be clued up?
Greenwashing is simply the act of misleading consumers by pretending to be eco-friendly.
This could be done in a variety of ways, including inappropriately incorporating buzzwords into packaging or marketing, launching pseudo-activist campaigns that serve little benefit outside of company relations, or simply lying about what a business actually does.
Unfortunately, it happens all the time. Everywhere.
We’ve written at length about greenwashing in the past and called out some large brands that are particularly guilty. Think Coca-Cola, Shell, Nestle, Exxon, banks, and most fashion labels. These companies produce tons of annual waste and extensively pollute the environment while still pushing public advertisements persuading consumers they aren’t the bad guy.
In 2023, it seems that greenwashing is a growing problem, particularly for banks and financial service sectors. An annual report by RepRisk found that one in every four climate-related ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) incidents were associated with greenwashing. This is an increase from one in five last year.
So, the problem is getting worse – but how about some examples?
In 2022, H&M came under fire for a scorecard system that supposedly informed customers about the environmental cost of its products. A hefty investigation by Quartz found that around half of H&M’s scorecard numbers for individual clothes were wrong. In some cases, the company ‘showed data that was the exact opposite of reality.’ H&M has since removed these scorecards.
FIFA boasted that the 2022 Qatar World Cup would be the ‘first carbon-neutral’ football tournament of its kind. It was not. An investigation by The Eco Experts found that the event was responsible for over 4.67 million tonnes of CO2, making it the most polluting World Cup ever. FIFA had to prove its claims were true after numerous international complaints, which it could not do.
There are many more examples from just this year alone.
Amazon wrapped its sustainable range in single-use plastic, HSBC continued to fund fossil fuels despite net-zero pledges, Ryanair misled passengers about its CO2 flight emissions, and Microsoft released an Earth Day controller that was only partly made using reclaimed materials. We could go on, but we’ll be here all day.
It’s important to be aware of just how common greenwashing practices are, and the varying scales in which they can impact your life. Whether it’s simply buying a better product on supermarket shelves or picking which bank to use, many brands will attempt to sway you with talk of ‘sustainable goals’ and ‘eco-friendly solutions.’
Often these buzzwords are nothing but hot air. It’s essential to do your own research on the validity of all this nonsensical marketing. Speaking of which…
How are systematic problems being individualised to put pressure on the public?
Ever feel like your actions have little consequence on the overall environmental struggle? Do you grapple with a sense of frustration that, despite your best intentions, the climate crisis seems to just get worse?
There’s a reason for that.
Fossil fuel companies have gone out of their way over many decades to cultivate a sense of individual moral obligation within consumers to fix a wide-scale corporate problem. We feel compelled to be better people through our consumer behaviours rather than putting pressure on the big businesses that make up the majority of carbon emissions.
Did you know that since 1988, 100 companies have been responsible for 71% of global emissions? Aramco, a Saudi Arabian oil and gas company, has produced 4.38% of all our carbon emissions ever. It plans to produce 27 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide between 2018 and 2030.
Despite these numbers, it’s likely you may have never even heard of Aramco. You probably are familiar with carbon footprints, recycling bins, and electric cars though, right?
Oil and gas companies pushing narratives more interested in our practices as individuals dates all the way back to the 1970s. An American PSA commercial from 1971 depicts a man throwing plastics from a moving car, followed by a distressed Native American who sheds a tear for his now-polluted home.
The ad finishes with the tagline; ‘People start pollution. People can stop it.’
