El ‘greenwashing’ de las etiquetas de la DGT: coches contaminantes con distintivo cero e híbridos que no se mueven en eléctrico
The article reveals that Spain’s traffic agency mislabels vehicles through a flawed environmental certification system, creating a significant greenwashing risk. By assigning the "ECO" label to mild hybrids that cannot run on electricity and emit substantial pollution, the current regime misleads consumers into believing these cars are environmentally friendly. This disconnect between marketing and reality allows manufacturers to capitalize on green trends while the actual environmental impact remains high, undermining genuine sustainability efforts. Furthermore, the "Zero Emissions" label is granted to plug-in hybrids, which can emit more carbon dioxide than traditional gasoline or diesel cars when their batteries are depleted. This labeling strategy ignores real-world CO2 emissions in favor of propulsion type, effectively sanitizing the image of high-polluting technologies. The absence of CO2 data in the labeling criteria means consumers cannot accurately compare the true ecological footprint of different vehicles, facilitating deceptive advertising practices. This situation is critical for understanding greenwashing because it highlights how institutional certification can perpetuate consumer confusion and protect industry interests over environmental integrity. The refusal of automotive manufacturers to reform a system that benefits their sales further illustrates corporate resistance to transparency. Ultimately, the article demonstrates that without rigorous, emission-based labeling, environmental labels become tools for marketing manipulation rather than reliable indicators of ecological performance.
Source: cincodias.elpais.comPublished on 2025-06-10