The Tories are talking the climate talk, but certainly not walking the walk (Picture: Getty Images)

Why was Ronseal, the wood varnish company, so successful? Because of its highly influential advertising slogan: ‘It does exactly what it says on the tin.’

Unfortunately, these days, too many companies, institutions and governments aren’t doing exactly what they say on the tin.

Glitzy adverts and PR campaigns are being used to lure people in – yet when you look a bit closer, you start to notice the climate-wrecking, planet-polluting reality of some of their claims. 

This is called greenwashing and it is rife across our economy, society, and politics. 

Unsurprisingly, climate criminal fossil fuel companies are among the worst offenders. Oil giant Shell spent £1.6billion on marketing in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to think-tank Common Wealth. 

The auto industry is guilty, too. Hyundai’s hydrogen-powered Nexo car claimed in 2019 that it ‘purifies the air as it goes’, and suggested that it could be driven without leaving any pollution. 

Yet the Advertising Standards Authority found that the car still releases pollutants from tyre and brake wear, and advised the company not to use the ad again. 

Our government is guilty of greenwashing too – talking the climate talk, but certainly not walking the walk

Then last year, football club Manchester City launched an initiative encouraging fans to return plastic bottles to ‘recycling pods’ used on match days – in return for cheaper air miles with City’s main sponsor, the Emirate airline Etihad Airways. The idea that people would be recycling one source of pollution for another is absolutely laughable.

You might wonder how these companies get away with such egregious greenwashing. It’s largely thanks to the public relations and corporate advertising machines behind them – spinning climate-wrecking industries into paragons of sustainability.

PR giant Edelman launched its annual ‘Trust Barometer’ of the public’s faith in major institutions earlier this year. It found that scientists are among the most trusted voices in society – yet the report fails to note the irony that Edelman itself works with planet-polluting fossil fuel companies like Shell and Exxon.

Similarly, UK advertising body Ad Association set up a scheme in 2020 called Ad Net Zero, which calls for immediate, collective industry action to help achieve real net zero carbon emissions.

Yet some of the scheme’s sponsors have previously signed contracts with ExxonMobil. How on earth does working with fossil fuel villains like Exxon help these ad companies to reach net zero?

And guess what, our government is guilty of greenwashing too – talking the climate talk, but certainly not walking the walk.

I’m glad Rishi Sunak has just created a new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – but we won’t reach net zero any time soon if he continues to give the green light to drill new oil and gas in the North Sea, taking us well beyond our net zero-aligned climate targets. 

On the hottest day of last year, as the UK soared above 40°C and parts of London were ablaze, the Government announced its Jet Zero sustainable aviation strategy. But this is an oxymoron – you can’t have a ‘sustainable aviation’ strategy, which will lead to yet more airport expansions, a huge increase in passengers, and pollution continuing apace. 

One recent poll showed almost 70% of UK adults support calls to restrict advertising for environmentally-harmful products

And for the Government to trumpet its climate leadership, whilst then ploughing ahead with a climate-wrecking, backward-looking coal mine in Cumbria, makes us an international laughing stock. 

Michael Gove agreeing with a letter from planning authorities to approve the mine, stating that its climate impact will be ‘relatively neutral’ really is greenwashing of the highest order. 

So first thing’s first, this government must immediately end its own outrageous greenwashing – not just renaming things’, but actually adopting policies to deliver it. Stop the climate-wrecking coal mine. Drop the polluting new oil and gas licences. Immediately lift the de facto ban on onshore wind. Put solar panels on every new home. 

Then it needs to start tackling greenwashing across society. I’m glad that Ministers are now preparing to bring in possible fines of 10% (up to £300,000) of global turnover for breaches of consumer law for unsubstantiated or misleading green claims – as part of its planned digital markets, competition and consumer bill to be unveiled shortly. 

But it must go much further, with far stricter regulation of high-carbon advertising. The Climate Change Committee stated last year that mechanisms and policies are needed to reduce demand for air travel – so ending glamourous ads that justify their expansion through misleading green claims is one way to do this.

More: News

We should also see a ban on high-carbon advertising altogether. Some countries have already paved the way – France implemented a ban on fossil fuel ads last year, and city councils around the world – from Sydney to Amsterdam – are starting to have that conversation too.  

Voters agree. One recent poll showed almost 70% of UK adults support calls to restrict advertising for environmentally-harmful products. If we’re going to secure a liveable future – of abundant and affordable renewables, clean air and water, warm homes and skilled jobs – we have to kick fossil fuels out of our society for good. 

Rather than mislead the public and pollute the planet, let’s make sure that ads ‘do what they say on the tin’.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. 

Share your views in the comments below.

MORE : I’ve lost loved ones to climate change and I want big oil companies to pay

MORE : Kourtney Kardashian as Boohoo’s face of sustainability is greenwashing at its finest

MORE : The 10 most expensive climate-related disasters of 2022

Glitzy adverts are being used to lure people in, yet there’s often a climate-wrecking, planet-polluting reality of some of their claims.