Comment porter plainte contre une publicité qui fait du greenwashing?
The French government has taken a strong measure (at last!). Ban the use of the term “carbon neutrality” as early as 2023, without scientific evidence showing the calculation. The objective is obviously to avoid any case of greenwashing.
Why was it necessary to frame the term carbon neutrality?
A company's carbon calculation is often controversial. To make a long story short, there are 3 “scopes” when calculating carbon emissions. Scope 1 represents direct CO2 emissions. In other words, direct emissions from what belongs to the company (emissions from its buildings, vehicles, etc.). Scope 2 represents indirect emissions related to energy. Typically, emissions related to electricity that are emitted upstream during production and not during use. And finally scope 3 which includes everything else. Yes, everything else. Purchases of raw materials, the transport of raw materials (if it is not your vehicle), trips between home and work, all digital pollution, etc.
That's why we can easily end up with aberrations like airports that boast of being carbon neutral. Because they only count emissions related to the airport even without taking into account all the planes that pass through it. Basically, scopes 1 and 2 and not scope 3. While scope 3 represents the overwhelming majority of emissions from an airport.
Among other things, this was the reason why legislation was needed. To avoid any abuse (or any lie) on this term of carbon neutrality. Because using it is full of meaning. This influences consumers, often wrongly. Carbon neutrality is complex to understand. Even more so if we go into the details of scope. It is therefore easy to see how brands can abuse these definitions to pass themselves off as green.
It is also important to add that scientists and ADEME (the French Environment Agency) insist on the fact that the term carbon neutrality cannot be used at the level of a company. It only makes sense when it is aggregated, at the level of a country or a continent. Because carbon neutrality can only be achieved with compensation. Remember that the objective is first of all to reduce emissions as much as possible, before moving on to compensation. In short, it is normally advisable not to use the term carbon neutrality at the level of an organization. This is why some brands have voluntarily decided not to mention it, like Decathlon.
What is this new rule in the French advertising world?
As the French government announced (https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/mise-en-oeuvre-loi-climat-et-resilience-entree-en-vigueur-3-dispositifs-publicite-plus-responsable), as of January 1, 2023, an advertiser will no longer be able to say in an advertisement that its products or services are carbon neutral, without proving that this is really the case. In other words, when advertising, a QR code or a link to a web page must be present. And on this web page, a precise description including the company's carbon footprint should be available. In short, a complete assessment of CO2 emissions over the entire life cycle of the product or service. And if there are carbon offsets (which will always be the case), the quantity and where they are put in place must also be indicated.
It's simple: we just want transparency. If an advertiser says that they are carbon neutral, we need to have access to the calculation and the balance sheet behind it.
The framework for carbon neutrality claims is essential to fight against greenwashing. It is certainly a small step, but a step in the right direction. Because as the French government mentions, “advertising is a lever for accelerating the ecological transition, by strengthening information and awareness, but also by orienting consumer behavior.”
As mentioned above, however, it is important to note that it is advisable not to talk about carbon neutrality at the level of an organization. We therefore recommend carrying out a carbon footprint of course and implementing measures to reduce emissions as much as possible and, lastly, to compensate. But above all, not to mention carbon neutrality in your communication.
It is still a great advance in the advertising world. When will the same thing be implemented in Belgium?
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