Journalists urged to investigate fake sustainability claims

Newsrooms need to scrutinise environmental claims made by companies and improve awareness about the cost of plastics pollution.

That was one of the key messages at an ABU News webinar called Plastic Pollution: The Facts. The webinar was hosted by Climate Tracker – an international non-profit journalism network.

Experts from Break Free From Plastic discussed corporate accountability, the impact of plastic waste in Asia, the need for corporate accountability and the development of an international treaty to reduce plastic production. Participants were told 99 percent of plastics are made from fossil fuels and plastic production is set to double by 2040, posing a significant threat to the environment, human health and biodiversity.

Miko Aliño, Project Coordinator at Break Free From Plastic, warned journalists about corporate greenwashing and said “journalists should fact-check, investigate, and scrutinize the fine print to expose any misleading practices”. She added: “We need to be wary of fake claims and unsubstantiated commitments made by corporations.”

Coleen Salamat, Project Coordinator for Waste Trade at Break Free From Plastic, emphasised the need to shift the narrative away from blaming Asian countries and instead focus on the role of developed nations in the global waste trade.

“The investigations should really start at the exporting countries themselves, such as the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union, who are sending their plastic waste to ill-equipped countries,” Coleen said.

Pinky Chandran, Asia Pacific Regional Coordinator at Break Free From Plastic, stressed the importance of showcasing grassroots efforts and prioritising frontline voices in reporting. “We need to build trust within communities and provide a complete view of the society, especially when reporting on plastic pollution,” Pinky said.