We've nipped at the heels of the corporate giant, Exxon, on more than one occasion (here, here and here). A little while back there were indications they may be turning over a new leaf, but considering past and recent history I think we can be forgiven for not getting overly excited quite yet. Furthermore, when a long time nemesis steps over to your side of the room with a smile, expressing a change of heart and a desire to team up, then a little cautiousness can be healthy - right?
Better a thousand enemies outside the house than one inside - Arabic ProverbKevin Grandia, over on the DeSmogBlog, seems to echo this sentiment in a post from today - where he's challenging Exxon's recent PR offensive with the need to follow rhetoric with concrete action.
As it happens, Kevin and I are not alone with our doubts. A report to be released on June 22nd indicates the majority of the public in the UK and the US have little or no confidence in what corporations and politicians tell us about global warming, and worse - this problem is crippling our ability to tangibly tackle climate change.
'Greenwash on climate change is alive and well' - new study reveals widespread consumer mistrust.Decades ago, in the tight-knit communities our grandparents and great-grandparents knew, integrity was a prerequisite to success. Shoddy workmanship, cheating, or the mistreatment of workers in the Ma & Pa stores of old were quickly evident to the community within which they operated. Customers could quickly vote with their feet. Conversely, today, industry have placed great distances between every aspect of their operations. Workers are not only far removed from their customers, but also the source material for their products (and the consequences of their products) - and the all-important shareholder knows little beyond the monthly financial reports. We make purchases from our swivel chairs, and real accountability is nigh impossible to attain. Digging beneath the glossy exterior projected through media has even necessitated undercover reporters travelling to far-flung lands on covert reconnaissance trips with hidden cameras.Only 10% of UK/US consumers trust what companies and government tell them about global warming.
Consumers also have little faith in religious figures, celebrities or the media to provide reliable information on climate change. They would rather seek information from friends and family, environmental groups and scientists. - Accountability Press Release (PDF)
So, how does the Average Joe feel about the recent rash of 'good intentions' and green press releases that companies have been falling over themselves to present to us? The Accountability survey of over 2,700 consumers from the U.K. and U.S. brought the following response:
A wave of green initiatives to counter climate change will probably have limited impact because nine out of 10 consumers are sceptical about the information from companies and governments, according to a new survey out later this week.More than 40% of consumers distrust what they hear about global warming from businesses while a further 50% do not know whether to believe corporate claims or not.
This contrasts with 60% who trust scientists and almost half who put the same faith in environmental groups such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, according to the report from Consumers International and Accountability. - Guardian
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Philip Monaghan, a director of the non-profit AccountAbility which promotes responsible business practices, believes what is lacking on both sides of the Atlantic is leadership and action.Further Reading:"More serious policy action and less photo shoots ... are key to building consumer trust and action," he said.
Lloyd called for more guidance for the public about what they should do and independent verification of corporate claims on global warming.
"Only then will consumers be able to turn their climate concerns into effective purchasing choices," he said. - Reuters
Many environmental activists seem to welcome the notion of a convergence of business interests and green interests, but it all seems too good to be true. If eco-friendly policies are entirely “win-win,” then why did corporations resist them for so long? It is hard to believe that the conflict between profit maximization and environmental protection, which characterized the entire history of the ecological movement, has suddenly evaporated.
Either corporations are fooling themselves, in which case they will eventually realize there is no environmental free lunch and renege on their green promises. Or they are fooling us and are perpetrating a massive public relations hoax. A third interpretation is that companies are taking voluntary steps that are genuine but inadequate to solve the problems at hand and are mainly meant to prevent stricter, enforceable regulation.
In any event, it would behoove enviros to be more skeptical of corporate green claims and less eager to jump into bed with business. It certainly makes sense to seek specific concessions from corporations and to offer moderate praise when they comply, but activists should maintain an arm’s-length relationship to business and not see themselves as partners. After all, the real purpose of the environmental movement is not simply to make technical adjustments to the way business operates (that’s the job of consultants) but rather to push for fundamental and systemic changes. - Is Big Business Buying Out The Environmental Movement?
