Europe's Upcoming Ban on 'Climate Neutral' Marketing to Affect Travel Brand Greenwashing
Key Points
- The EU plans to ban 'climate neutral' marketing claims without scientific certification by 2026.
- Travel companies, including airlines, need to verify eco-friendly claims through third-party certification.
- The new rules require approval from the EU parliament and member states, expected in November.
Summary
The European Union is set to implement a ban by 2026 on marketing claims like 'climate neutral' unless backed by scientific certification, affecting industries such as travel. Companies, including airlines, will need to ensure their eco-friendly claims are verified by third-party certifications. The rules await formal approval from the EU parliament and member states, which is anticipated in November.
The European Union is on track to ban marketing claims such as "climate neutral" by 2026 that scientifically based certification can't validate.
Claims such as "carbon neutral," "environmentally friendly," and "eco" will require companies to verify their products' merits through third-party certification schemes.
Travel companies are among the industries that may be affected by the looming ban. For example, airlines may need to change booking interfaces that offer "climate-neutral" flights in exchange for buying carbon offsets supporting projects that lack credibility.
The rules okayed on Wednesday still need formal approval from the European Union parliament and its member states — expected in November. But it would be procedurally rare for the rules to be denied.
The move came on the same day United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "humanity has opened the gates to hell" in its failure to stop rising carbon emissions and a forecasted increase in extreme weather.
Skift’s in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift’s editorial team.
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