21 January 2025
The latest issue of the International Bar Association’s Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law features commentary by Bennett’s Reid Thornett, co-authored by Michelle Brooks, Michael Tangonan, Tom Webb and Phillipa McCormack.
The abstract for the piece is as follows:
Governments and corporate actors around the world are setting ambitious targets for mitigating climate change and halting and reversing the destruction of nature. The public – individuals, communities, and corporate and nongovernment organisations – expect these commitments to be achieved, so corporate claims about climate and nature are, increasingly, being closely scrutinised. Representations and commitments about climate or environmental credentials that are false, misleading, or unsubstantiated have come to be known as ‘greenwashing’. Greenwashing can undermine the integrity of initiatives to achieve climate and sustainability targets, and the credibility of both corporate perpetrators and the regulatory framework itself. In this paper, we examine the Australian legal framework and reforms that are currently underway, along with key developments overseas. We propose a series of legal principles that, together, can help to promote a ‘best-practice’ approach to greenwashing, as governments, corporations, and broader civil society respond to the twin crises of climate change and environmental loss.
To Reid more (pun intended), visit here or get in contact with Reid.
Reid is a Director at the National Environmental Law Association (NELA) and National Co-Covenor of the ESG & Sustainability Portfolio.
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Disclaimer: The information published in this article is of a general nature and should not be construed as legal advice. Whilst we aim to provide timely, relevant and accurate information, the law may change and circumstances may differ. You should not therefore act in reliance on it without first obtaining specific legal advice.
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