Positive climate stories in March
This month, Opportunity Green has been busy attending negotiations on how to phase out shipping’s greenhouse gas emissions at the International Maritime Organization. We report back on the positive outcomes from the discussions, and round up the rest of March’s good news for the climate.
New burst of high ambition at IMO discussions
March was a big month for anyone involved in the shipping sector, as States came together at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to discuss which global measures should be implemented to phase out shipping’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Central to these measures is the proposal that polluters pay their fair share for the transition through a pricing mechanism, which puts a price on shipping’s GHG emissions. Pricing shipping emissions could be instrumental to achieving a just and equitable transition that will support the countries and people most affected by climate change.
In this video, our Policy Officer Blánaid Sheeran explains what the levy is and why it’s important:
Opportunity Green was present at the negotiations, which stretched out over two weeks. We saw a welcome increase in the participation of the Caribbean, which brought a new burst of high ambition to the IMO discussions alongside the long-standing Pacific Island states delegations.
Our Senior Shipping Manager, Ana Laranjeira says:
"One of the highlights was undoubtedly the increased Caribbean participation, reminding us how crucial it is to continue to enable the attendance of even more climate vulnerable countries in these discussions.”
There was also increasing convergence around a pricing mechanism on shipping's GHG emissions. An ambitious pricing mechanism, such as the one put forward by Belize and the Pacific Islands, would get polluters to pay their fair share for the impacts caused by their emissions; help close the price gap between fossil and zero-emission fuels, creating the market for the technologies we need; and, crucially, financially support climate vulnerable countries to achieve a just and equitable transition that leaves no country behind.
First anti-greenwashing legal victory against aviation sector
March 20th was a historic day for climate litigation, as the first successful judicial challenge against greenwashing in the aviation sector was announced. Amsterdam's District Court found KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’s "Fly Responsibly" ad campaign to be misleading to consumers and in violation of European consumer law.
Our congratulations go out to Dutch NGO Fossielvrij NL, Reclame Fossielvrij and ClientEarth for bringing this case.
The court found:
KLM’s advertising misled the public by giving the impression the airline is tackling climate change. In fact, its current plans for growth are adding to the problem.
The expression 'sustainable aviation fuel' is misleading and falsely suggests that flying with KLM is sustainable.
KLM’s carbon offsetting scheme ‘CO2ZERO’ does not meaningfully contribute to reducing KLM’s footprint.
This is a huge climate action win that sets a major legal precedent with ramifications across the international aviation sector. Other airlines must avoid making similar environmental claims if they are to evade the same judicial scrutiny.
Our Legal Assistant Olivia Moyle says:
“It's high time that airlines start telling the truth about flying's climate impact. Sticking a green label on aviation in its current state misleads consumers into believing their choices are sustainable and exacerbates the climate crisis: finance continues to flow to fossil fuels in a 'business as usual' fashion.”
Read the full story in our blog: Court rules KLM’s vague green claims mislead consumers – so what’s next for the aviation industry?
Who are the leaders when it comes to business flying emissions?
The new Travel Smart 2024 ranking was launched this month, taking a deep dive into the urgent need to reduce business travel emissions by global companies. This year’s ranking included some great examples of companies that are leading the way in reducing their emissions from business flights.
The top five companies reducing their business flying emissions were Zurich, Swiss Re, Lloyds Banking Group, Fidelity International and Arcadis.
Credible companies set business flying emissions reductions targets, reduce frequent flying and report the total impacts of business flying, including non-CO2 effects from contrails and nitrogen oxides.
But, with only 16 out of 328 companies ranked in category A, there is a clear need for companies to set ambitious reduction targets for business travel. Now we need the poor performers – including Disney, Netflix, Alphabet and Bosch – to step up to their example.
Major win in New Zealand’s David vs. Goliath climate case
A Māori climate activist is celebrating a landmark case that gives him the right to take seven of the country’s biggest companies to court over their alleged contributions to climate change.
New Zealand’s supreme court ruled that Mike Smith has the right to sue the country’s largest, and biggest emitting company Fonterra and others including power and gas company Genesis Energy and fuel companies Z Energy and Channel Infrastructure.
Smith says that collectively, between 2020 and 2021 these seven companies were responsible for more than one-third of New Zealand’s total reported greenhouse gas emissions. This, alongside his Māori bond with the land, has spurred him into activism.
This is a major win – not least because it has taken Smith five long years of court proceedings to get to this point. He told The Guardian:
“When we see these things happening, we can’t just sit there and be silent – we must be responsible.”
Climate change law expert Vernon Rive commented that Smith faces huge challenges ahead. It’s undoubtedly a case of David up against Goliath, but Rive adds that even if Smith doesn't succeed, he has “already won something significant”.
What positive climate stories have lifted your spirits this month? Share it with us on X or LinkedIn and we’ll help to spread the word.
