A study by a scholar at The University of Queensland reveals that the 鈥榞reen revolution鈥� advertised by the world鈥檚 biggest brands and corporations is misleading consumers.
Dr Guy Pearse, who conducted the study, is a research fellow at the 国产探花 .
鈥淕oing green is the 鈥榥ew black鈥� for big business, yet there is a big divide between the climate-friendly revolution that's being advertised and what鈥檚 required to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,鈥� Dr Pearse said.
鈥淭oyota reckons Mother Nature drives a Prius, Ford wants us to 'Join the Green Revolution' and McDonald's has painted its famous golden arches green. Yet, the 鈥榞reen revolution鈥� is not happening in the way the world鈥檚 corporations would have us believe,鈥� he said.
The findings from Dr Pearse鈥檚 study are launched in a new book, .
Director of the Global Change Institute Director, Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg said the research concluded that the necessary transition to a low-carbon economy was not happening fast enough, based on credible, scientific evidence, to have much effect on the problem of rapid anthropogenic global climate change.
鈥淲hile one has to admire the attempt by many of our top corporations to deal with the problem of rapidly rising emissions of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels, Greenwash challenges the notion that the private sector will lead us into a low-carbon future,鈥� Professor Hoegh-Guldberg said.
鈥淭his is an extremely urgent problem that needs more than a token effort. Citizens need to strongly articulate the future they want for themselves and their children," he said.
鈥淭hankfully, some companies are 'walking the talk' and, in doing so, they are meeting the challenge of climate change. What鈥檚 alarming is that there are few global brands among them.
鈥淭he outcome from this study serves as an important wake-up call for corporations to re-examine their efforts to deal with the planet-threatening problem of climate change.鈥�
Media: Mark Paterson, Communications Director, 国产探花 Global Change Institute, mark@curriecommunications.com.au or 0409 411 110
About the Global Change Institute
The Global Change Institute (GCI) at The University of Queensland, Australia, is an independent source of game-changing research, ideas and advice for addressing the challenges of global change. The GCI advances discovery, creates solutions that meet the challenges presented by climate change, technological innovation and population change.
