2024-04-22
The Senate Inquiry into Greenwashing has today heard evidence that the Australian Government is "facilitating" corporate greenwashing by failing to certify its own “Climate Active” trademark logo which companies use to promote their green credentials.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is chair of the Senate Inquiry into Greenwashing and told a press conference today:
“The Senate has kicked off its first day of hearings into the greenwashing inquiry. And already we've heard very concerning evidence that the government's own Climate Active program is participating in greenwashing.
“It's extraordinary to hear that the ACCC, the Government’s own regulator in charge of registering and certifying trademarks, has not certified the Government's own Climate Active trademark. This is outrageous.
“We've got corporations right across the country relying on this Government stamp of approval to tell their customers that they have green products or that they are carbon neutral.
“The Government's own stamp of approval hasn't even been properly certified.
“Australian customers are fed up with greenwashing lies. They're fed up with walking into the supermarket and seeing an array of different products and being told lies about how environmentally friendly they are, that they’re saving animals or saving the climate.
“We need stronger laws that ban misleading environmental claims to protect Australian consumers and the environment.”