https://earth.org/greenwashing-dutch-airline-klms-ads-misleading-court-r...
A court in the Netherlands has ruled on Wednesday that a Dutch airline KLM campaign aimed at improving the company’s environmental image was “misleading” for customers.
The “Fly Responsibly” campaign, launched in 2019 to celebrate KLM’s 100th anniversary, called on stakeholders in aviation – including airlines, partners, customers, and employees – to “join forces in the development of sustainable solutions for the industry,” which is responsible for about 2% of global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
“Much more than just an advertising campaign, it is an initiative that invites both decision makers (in the industry and beyond) and consumers to join KLM in making aviation more sustainable. It symbolises a new mentality: the responsibility we should all have for our planet. It made KLM open up and reach out to all stakeholders. To share its sustainability knowledge, tools and best practices (like their CO2 compensation tool) for free. To activate everyone to contribute,” the campaign’s briefing read.
In July 2022, Dutch environmental group Fossil Free filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against KLM, the first-ever legal claim challenging airline industry greenwashing, challenging KLM’s advertising as “misleading.” According to the group, the campaign gave the impression that the airline was actively tackling climate change, while, in fact, its plans for air traffic growth would only exacerbate the crisis. The lawsuit also addressed the airline’s carbon offsetting strategy, which, the group argued, misled customers into thinking that they could offset their flight’s emissions by supporting reforestation projects or the airline’s costs of purchasing small quantities of biofuels.
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Martina Igini
Martina is the Managing Editor at Earth.Org. She holds two BA degrees, in Translation/Interpreting Studies and Journalism, and an MA in International Development from the University of Vienna. After working at the United Nations Global Communication Department in Vienna, she joined a newspaper in Italy as a reporter before moving to Hong Kong in 2020. Her interests include sustainability and the role of public policy in environmental protection with a focus on developing countries.
martina.igini@earth.org
https://gofossilfree.org/nl/duurzaamvliegenbestaatniet/
Why a lawsuit against KLM?
KLM's misleading commercials make us believe we can fly without exacerbating the climate crisis. But this is an illusion. That is why we bring KLM to justice.
According to KLM, customers can offset their flight emissions if they pay extra for planting trees or for biofuels – which KLM calls “ sustainable aviation fuels ”. But CO2 compensation, biofuels and other new techniques are sham solutions, promoted to reassure us that we can fly “ responsibly ” (Fly Responsibly). These sham solutions simply do not make flying sustainable. In the meantime, KLM makes a beautiful decoration with a slick commercial that suggests that we are already well on our way to sustainable aviation. This is how KLM soothes our conscience.
KLM conveys this incorrect message in order to continue to grow – like all other airlines worldwide –, while in the meantime they are working against climate policy with aggressive lobbying tactics. But the fair story is that the number of flights must be reduced.
The coming years are crucial: aviation emissions – also – must now go down to keep a just, livable world within reach. In addition, it is unfair that a small group of people who fly a lot cause enormous climate damage, while the consequences of a hotter planet are mainly felt by people with less money, people in the Global South and future generations.
We go to court to demand that KLM stop misleading. It is time for KLM to tell the honest story about their fossil product: flying is the fastest way to heat the planet. And we demand that KLM stop claiming that CO2 compensation and alternative fuels can make flying sustainable.
Martina Igini
Martina is the Managing Editor at Earth.Org. She holds two BA degrees, in Translation/Interpreting Studies and Journalism, and an MA in International Development from the University of Vienna. After working at the United Nations Global Communication Department in Vienna, she joined a newspaper in Italy as a reporter before moving to Hong Kong in 2020. Her interests include sustainability and the role of public policy in environmental protection with a focus on developing countries.
