**Global Efforts to Combat Misleading Eco-Friendly Claims: Updates from the UK and Canada**
Published: 2024-09-09Daily News Digest: Tackling Greenwashing - A Global Perspective
Big changes are happening in the fight against greenwashing. Greenwashing is when companies make false claims about being eco-friendly.
In the United Kingdom, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has given companies more time to follow new rules. These rules are meant to stop greenwashing. Now, companies have until April 2025 to meet these standards. However, they must still apply for Britain’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) by October 1, 2024. The SDR aims to make sure companies are honest about their green claims. The FCA says it’s important to keep working hard to stop false claims and ensure they are fair and true.
In Canada, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) is not happy with new anti-greenwashing laws. CAPP President Lisa Baiton says the new rules in Bill C-59 could hurt climate talks and make it hard to follow the law. She thinks the rules bring investment risks and are not clear. Because of this, some oil companies have already removed green content from their messages. CAPP plans to ask the Competition Bureau to cancel the law, saying it might be fake rather than a real effort to stop greenwashing.
These events show the global fight against greenwashing. Greenwashing happens when companies use terms like “eco-friendly” or “natural” without proof. They may also focus on one green part of a product while ignoring its overall impact. For example, a company might say a product is made from recycled materials but not mention that making it causes pollution.
It’s important to know about these practices because false green claims affect our planet’s future. When companies lie about being green, they fool people and hurt real efforts to be eco-friendly. This can make people doubt true green products.
Think about Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate” scandal. The company said its diesel engines were low-emission and green. But it was found that Volkswagen had cheated emissions tests, causing more pollution than claimed. This damaged Volkswagen’s reputation and showed why honesty in green claims is important.
Another example is H&M’s “Conscious” collection. H&M said the collection was made from sustainable materials. But investigations found that the green benefits were overstated. This misled customers and hurt the brand’s credibility.
By staying informed and pushing for honesty, we can help create a more truthful and sustainable world. When people demand real green products, companies will have to follow, leading to real environmental benefits.
Stay tuned for more updates on this important issue as we keep an eye on global efforts to stop greenwashing and promote true environmental care.
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/uk-watchdog-gives-funds-anti-greenwashing-rule-extension/87517071