Fake claims. Hollow promises. Purposefully unattainable goals. These describe deceptive marketing practices, and consequently also the world of “greenwashing." Greenwashing is at its core communication or actions that mislead people into adopting positive beliefs about an organization’s environmental performance, practices or products.
There is increasing awareness around the world about the misleading or entirely false claims about sustainability initiatives made by companies, governments and even NGOs. This includes assertions and policies revolving around climate, biodiversity and pollution. Such claims can be used to promote an organization’s social status, its relationships with consumers and employees or even short-term profits. But ultimately, greenwashing means changing as little as possible while claiming to do a great deal.
Then there's "carbonwashing,” or greenwashing that’s related to carbon emissions. It's under scrutiny considering the growth of carbon trading markets and the voluntary credits that bolster them. In an analysis by authors in the peer-reviewed journal Science this year, which is based on rigorous research and modeling, the authors were blunt: “…offsetting through paying projects to reduce emissions by conserving tropical forests is not reducing deforestation as claimed and is worsening climate change.”
And UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke in stark terms about carbonwashing at COP27 last year, stating, “I have a message to fossil fuel companies and their financial enablers. So-called 'net-zero pledges' that exclude core products and activities are poisoning our planet. They must thoroughly review their pledges.” Meanwhile, many critics of this year’s COP28 meeting say the hosts appear to be embarking on a carbonwashing campaign of epic proportions themselves.
But while carbon credits have garnered news stories/media attention around the world, few investigations have gone into great depth across Asia.
