EU investigates ‘greenwashing’ at 20 airlines

EU regulators have opened an investigation of 20 airlines over their potentially “misleading greenwashing practices”, including the claimed benefits of offsetting emissions from flying. The European Commission said on Tuesday that it had written to the airlines and to national consumer protection authorities “identifying several types of potentially misleading green claims”. The airlines were not named, but the national regulators involved are Belgian, Dutch, Norwegian and Spanish. The regulators’ concerns centre on claims that the carbon emissions from flying can be offset either through investments in environmental projects or the use of more sustainable jet fuels, which still emit carbon when they are burnt but are less polluting than the kerosene that is currently used. “The airlines are yet to clarify whether such claims can be substantiated based on sound scientific evidence,” the commission said. Industry body Airlines for Europe said its members “recognise the importance of clear, transparent information about sustainability and our efforts towards achieving net zero carbon emissions”. It said it was “particularly concerned” about the questions over sustainable aviation fuels, which it said have been “supported and endorsed” by the EU. “The science supports that this is a more sustainable alternative to regular jet fuel,” it added. Airlines are facing growing regulatory scrutiny about their environmental impact and the EU has started a wider crackdown on green claims in corporate marketing. Last month, a Dutch court ruled that flag carrier KLM had acted illegally when it claimed customers could “fly sustainably”, while the UK advertising watchdog in December banned adverts by three airlines. Flying accounts for around 4% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions and, despite an industry-wide pledge to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it is seen as one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise because of the lack of alternatives to jet fuel.<br/>