Today's Editorial

Greenwashing manifests itself in several ways – tactics include:

• Claiming to be on track to reduce a company’s polluting emissions to net zero when no credible plan is actually in place.
• Being purposely vague or non-specific about a company’s operations or materials used.
• Applying intentionally misleading labels such as “green” or “eco-friendly”, which do not have standard definitions and can be easily misinterpreted.
• Implying that a minor improvement has a major impact or promoting a product that meets the minimum regulatory requirements as if it is significantly better than the standard.
• Emphasising a single environmental attribute while ignoring other impacts.
• Claiming to avoid illegal or non-standard practices that are irrelevant to a product.
• Communicating a product's sustainability attributes in isolation of brand activities (and vice versa) — e.g., a garment made from recycled materials that is produced in a high-emitting factory that pollutes the air and nearby waterways.

Why care about greenwashing, and how does it relate to climate change?

• Greenwashing undermines credible efforts to reduce emissions and address the climate crisis.
• Greenwashing, through deceptive marketing and false claims of sustainability, misleads consumers, investors, and the public, hampering the trust, ambition, and action needed to bring about global change and secure a sustainable planet.

How is the UN tackling greenwashing?

• In its “Integrity Matters” report, the UN's High-Level Expert Group outlined ten recommendations for credible, accountable net-zero pledges.
• Announcing a Net Zero Pledge
• Setting Net Zero Targets
• Using Voluntary Credits
• Creating a Transition Plan
• Phasing Out of Fossil Fuels and Scaling Up Renewable Energy
• Aligning Lobbying and Advocacy
• People and Nature in the Just Transition
• Increasing Transparency and Accountability
• Investing in Just Transitions
• Accelerating the Road to Regulation
• UN Climate Change published a Recognition and Accountability Framework and Draft Implementation Plan after the report.

How is India tackling greenwashing?

• The Central Consumer Protection Authority has released Draft Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing 2024.
• It defines Greenwashing as “any deceptive or misleading practice, which includes concealing, omitting, or hiding relevant information, by exaggerating, making vague, false, or unsubstantiated environmental claims and use of misleading words, symbols, or imagery, placing emphasis on positive environmental aspects while downplaying or concealing harmful attributes”.
• These guidelines will apply to all advertisements, service providers, product sellers, advertisers, and advertising agencies or endorsers.
• The guidelines also provide the provision that vague terms such as 'green', 'eco-friendly', 'eco-consciousness', 'good for the planet', 'cruelty-free', and similar assertions should be used only with adequate disclosures.
• The Guidelines prescribe various disclosures that would be required to be made by the company making green claims. The various disclosures are -
• Ensure all environmental claims in ads or communications are fully disclosed, either directly or through technology like QR codes or web links.
• Avoid selectively presenting data to favourably highlight environmental claims while hiding unfavourable aspects.
• Clearly define the scope of environmental claims, specifying whether they relate to products, manufacturing processes, packaging, product usage, disposal, services, or service provision processes.
• All environmental claims shall be backed by verifiable evidence.
• Comparative environmental claims that compare one product or service to another must be based on verifiable and relevant data.
• Substantiate specific environmental claims with credible certification, reliable scientific evidence, and independent third-party verification for authenticity.