4. Conclusion
This chapter has argued that one of the main ways consumer law can help address the climate crisis is through consumer law enforcement action and civil society activism against greenwashing. However, the use of consumer law to respond to individual instances of greenwashing is not enough to address the link between marketing and the ubiquitous culture of consumerism that contributes to the climate crisis. This is because marketing continually reinforces a need to buy more and reinforces consumption choices as a way to express one’s identity and spend leisure time. Marketing also reinforces the assumption that business can voluntarily act to solve the climate crisis if individual consumers make the right choices, thereby delaying more definitive, and urgently needed, community and government led action to transition industry away from GHG-intensive production and consumption. The chapter concludes by reflecting on ways that law and policy might prevent greenwashing and support the transformation of production and consumption practices towards a climate-safe future.
Key Questions
- Do regulators and NGOs have the resources, access and expertise required to take action against a sufficient number of greenwashing cases to make a real difference?
- Should governments ban marketing on GHG-intensive products? If so, what products would you choose?
- How could regulators design a ban on the marketing of GHG-intensive products?
- What other steps could activists and governments take to ensure that climate-related marketing claims do not hinder the broader societal transformation required to mitigate and adapt to climate change?
False, misleading or deceptive marketing claims about the environmental credentials of a product, service, brand or company.
The idea that people should pursue their individual interests, and realised their personal identity and social status through the consumption of various goods and services.
