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'Greenwashing': a new climate misinformation battleground
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Youth climate activists hold a demonstration outside the building where JPMorgan Chase was holding their annual shareholders meeting on May 17, 2022 in New York City. The group was protesting the global financial institution's funding of fossil fuel. (AFP/Spencer Platt )
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ossil fuel firms are misleading the public about their moves to cut greenhouse gases and curb climate change -- and social media are hosting ads that perpetuate this "greenwashing", researchers say.
AFP Fact Check took an in-depth look at how this is happening. The full report, including lobbying and communications fact boxes on 10 top oil and gas companies, is at http://u.afp.com/wDuA.
Talking the talk
Many companies have vowed to reach the "net zero" level of greenhouse gas emissions needed to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius under the Paris climate accords, the threshold established by scientists for avoiding the worst impacts.
At the same time, research shows, they are advertising and lobbying for more drilling and burning of the fossil fuels that are heating the Earth's surface.
Leaders and business people agree that changing how we warm our homes and power industries is no simple task.
But critics say the gap between slogans and action undermines meaningful efforts to cut emissions.
