Message From the Editor
This week, investigative journalist Dana Drugmand published a piece on the increase of litigation against "climate-washing" in the past two years. To note, out of 81 climate-washing cases filed against companies since 2015, nearly two-thirds were brought in 2021 and 2022. Fewer than 10 such cases were filed both in 2020 and 2019.
Climate-washing litigation confronts various types of deceptive or misleading claims, typically put forth by carbon-intensive corporations, that try to portray their plans, products, or operations as more climate-friendly than they actually are.
Several factors could explain the recent rise in climate-washing litigation including growing climate awareness, increasing calls for corporate accountability, and the relative ease of bringing these types of cases. PR and consulting firms that service and enable fossil fuel clients could also find themselves roped into these lawsuits.
We’ve featured many of these climate change lawsuits, including an Italian lawsuit against Eni, alleging early knowledge of climate change, and the recent case filed by Multnomah County against various fossil fuel companies and consulting firms.
Over in Pennsylvania, Audrey Carleton has asked and answered the question of who is blocking climate action in the state. Done in collaboration with Covering Climate Now, she reported on two blocked climate bills that show related unions can still sway the new, narrow Democratic House majority.
“The oil and gas industry, labor, they seem to win at every turn,” says Greg Vitali, chair of the key environmental committee in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives.
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Thanks,
Brendan DeMelle
Executive Director
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Image credit: Dana Drugmand
Litigation Over Misleading Climate Claims Has ‘Exploded’ Over the Past Few Years
— By Dana Drugmand (6 min. read) —
Companies are increasingly facing legal action over their false or misleading climate communications, according to a new report examining trends in global climate litigation. That report, released late last week, highlighted a surge in litigation around climate-related greenwashing — what researchers have termed “climate-washing” — over the past few years.
Out of 81 climate-washing cases filed against companies since 2015, nearly two-thirds were brought in 2021 and 2022. By contrast, fewer than 10 such cases were filed both in 2020 and 2019.
Who is Blocking Climate Action in Pennsylvania?
— By Audrey Carleton (5 min. read) —
This story originally appeared in Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.
As chair of the key environmental committee in Pennsylvania’s newly Democratic House of Representatives, Greg Vitali was hopeful his committee could begin advancing meaningful climate policy after years of playing defense.
Campaigners Warn of Loopholes in Laws to Curb Antibiotics on UK Farms After ‘Biased’ Industry Consultation
— By Clare Carlile (6 min. read) —
Proposed laws to curb antibiotic use on UK farms drafted after closed-door meetings with industry contain loopholes that could undermine the fight against deadly drug resistant bacteria, campaigners have warned.
The government published the draft legislation, designed to replace European Union rules post-Brexit, following consultations with pharmaceutical, veterinary medicine and farming lobby groups, according to Freedom of Information requests filed by DeSmog.
US Government Urges Court to Dismiss Federal Youth Climate Lawsuit
— By Dana Drugmand (5 min. read) —
The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal district court in Oregon to put an end to the landmark constitutional youth climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States after the court reactivated the litigation earlier this month.
The case, which was originally filed in 2015 and alleges constitutional violations stemming from the federal government’s ongoing support of climate-destabilizing fossil fuels, had nearly made it to trial twice before. But after the Obama administration failed in the government’s initial bid to get the case dismissed, unprecedented legal tactics deployed by the Trump administration derailed the proceedings and a federal appeals court eventually dismissed the case in January 2020.
As the Climate Warms, Use of Clean Energy Credits Comes Under Increased Scrutiny
— By Patrick Cooley (5 min. read) —
The two corporations investing billions to build three new factories just outside Columbus, Ohio, have said that the facilities will be carbon neutral — despite Ohio’s near-total reliance on electricity from fossil fuels.
Both Honda and Intel have stated that renewable energy credits, or RECs — certificates purchased on a marketplace that fund clean power companies — will help them meet that goal. But so far those plans have received little scrutiny.
From the Climate Disinformation Database: Craig Mackinlay
Craig Mackinlay has been the Conservative MP for South Thanet since 2015. Mackinlay was one of the founders of the Anti-Federalist Party, which later became the UK Independence Party (UKIP), serving as the leader of UKIP in 1997 and as deputy leader from 1997 to 2000. Mackinlay joined the Conservative Party in 2005. Mackinlay has become a leading critic of the government’s plans to decarbonize the economy and reach net zero emissions by 2050. Mackinlay leads the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, a loose alliance of MPs which was set up by Tory MP and former Global Warming Policy Foundation Trustee Steve Baker.
Read the full profile and browse other individuals and organizations in our Climate Disinformation Database and Koch Network Database.
