New York sues Shell for ‘misleading’ climate advertising | Financial

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio argues that the oil companies should be dealt with because they are guilty of ‘greenwashing’, making activities seem sustainable that are actually not environmentally friendly at all. “Our children deserve to live in a world without climate change,” he said. “That means calling out the biggest polluters for misleading advertising.”

According to New York, Shell, BP and ExxonMobil are falsely misleading consumers that they are contributing to the fight against climate change when they buy their products. In addition, the city complains that they present themselves with large-scale campaigns as frontrunners in the fight against climate change. They would do this mainly because with a greener image they are better placed in the market. “The defendants have spent millions to trick consumers into believing they are a green, clean choice. But they are not,” said the council’s legal head.

In addition to the three oil companies, the trade association American Petroleum Institute has also been charged. In a response, the institution called the charge unfounded. According to the American Petroleum Institute, the industry has “substantially reduced its carbon footprint and emissions” in recent years, a lawyer told Bloomberg news agency.

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