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Dutch court finds KLM advertisements were misinforming in 'greenwashing' case

A Dutch court ruled on Wednesday that KLM had actually misinformed customers with a marketing campaign aimed at enhancing the business's environmental image, in a case of socalled greenwashing.

The decision, which comes at a time when regulators are more carefully scrutinising environmental claims, will work as a. criteria for airline companies on what they can say publicly about their. efforts to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

A variety of advertisements made by KLM in the past were. therefore prohibited and misleading, the court said in a summary. of judges' composed decision, including that some company claims. about sustainability had actually been too vague.

In others, KLM paints a too-rosy picture about procedures it. is taking to decrease its emissions, such as utilizing more biofuel or. planting trees, it said.

Those procedures only partially minimize environmental impacts. and provide the incorrect impression that flying with KLM is. sustainable, the court said.

KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France-KLM, said it was. satisfied with the choice, which gave it clearness and did not. enforce any punishment. Environmental groups said it was a. landmark decision.

Claims such as those made by KLM are common across the. ( aviation) market and we believe this is being very carefully. seen, stated lawyer Johnny White of ClientEarth, which recommended. Fossil Free, the Dutch group which led the case versus KLM.

He kept in mind that Europe's main customer group, BEUC, had. brought a complaint at the European Commission against 17. European airline companies for comparable claims.

Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith said that the business was. taking steps to lower its emissions by buying more. efficient planes and mixing more biofuel into the kerosene that. fuels its fleet.

I do not think about that greenwashing, he said at a press. conference in Brussels.

It's extremely concrete. It's a concrete example of what we're. doing to improve the sustainability of airlines. ... It's not a. reasonable evaluation.

KLM said it was considering a more substantive reaction to. the judgment.

Activists for Fossil Free had actually argued that KLM's Fly. Properly project was deceptive considered that all flights. today contributed considerable quantities of greenhouse gas. emissions.

The court could not have actually been clearer: companies are not. When, enabled to claim they are taking on dangerous climate modification. in truth they are sustaining the crisis, stated project leader. Hiske Arts.

KLM kept in mind that the judgment does not oblige it to provide any. correction, and might continue to advertise to consumers. regardless of require a blanket ban. In the future, it must be. honest and concrete about environmental claims, the court. said.

(source: Reuters)