WHO Urges Governments to Ban Tobacco Industry's Greenwashing

The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments around the world to ban the tobacco industry's "greenwashing" practice - that is, promoting sustainable development certificates as a distraction from the health and environmental impacts of smoking.

A new report has outlined the efforts made by the tobacco industry to improve its image, in detail, as detailed by various health organizations.

The author of the report warns, "This activity creates the impression that the tobacco industry is responsible for society and the environment. However, this industry causes immeasurable harm to the health of smokers, non-smokers, and farmers. Moreover, tobacco not only harms humans but is also detrimental to the environment.

Tobacco companies often boast about their environmental credentials, with their efforts being recognized by independent organizations. For instance, many multinational corporations hold prominent positions on the renowned A-list of the CDP. CDP is a non-profit charity organization that operates a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, and regions to manage their environmental impacts. Its procedures are widely regarded as the gold standard for corporate environmental transparency.

The tobacco company also ranks highly on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), a global benchmark for sustainable development that tracks the stock performance of leading companies around the world in terms of economic, environmental, and social standards.

Critics argue that ESG rankings and certifications often fail to take into account a company's final products or services, resulting in the overlooking of the harmful effects of tobacco products on human health, according to the report.

According to the report, there are over 600 different ways to evaluate a company's ESG activities, and there is no global standardized disclosure requirement for companies to follow. This means that companies can manipulate sustainable development data to promote favorable outcomes.

The report's author has urged organizations to avoid partnering with cigarette companies involved in environmental activism, as it may present the industry as an environmental ally.

The report from the World Health Organization also highlights the impact of the tobacco industry on the environment. According to the report's authors, 32 million tons of tobacco leaves are grown globally each year, producing 6 trillion cigarettes. They argue that cultivating this global crop requires approximately 22 billion tons of water, often in areas where water resources are limited.

A report estimates that nearly 1.5 billion acres of forests worldwide have disappeared due to tobacco cultivation since the 1970s. Meanwhile, electronic cigarettes introduce plastic, nicotine salts, heavy metals, lead, mercury, and lithium ion batteries into the environment.

Source: Tobacco Reporter

A recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has accused the tobacco industry of engaging in "greenwashing," a practice where corporations falsely present themselves as environmentally conscious in order to deceive consumers. The report alleges that the industry is attempting to use this tactic to distract from the devastating impact of tobacco production on the environment.