Dutch legal action against KLM misleading adverts
In April 2022, the Dutch advertising watchdog (like the UK’s ASA) ruled that a KLM promotion telling customers they could fly carbon-emission free was misleading. Then in July 2022 the Dutch environmental group “Go Fossil Free” filed a lawsuit against KLM at the court in Amsterdam. Their aim is to end KLM’s misleading advertisements about ‘sustainable flying’. KLM’s marketing leads people to believe that that flying won’t worsen the climate emergency. But carbon offsets, biofuels and promises of future technologies are false solutions – there’s no such thing as sustainable flying. The group have a petition that people are invited to sign. KLM is planning to expand its business with more flights – like all airlines worldwide – while aggressively lobbying against climate action. But the truth is that the number of flights overall have to be reduced. The campaigners believe it is time for KLM to tell the truth about their fossil-fueled product: flying is one of the fastest ways to heat up the planet. They want KLM to stop misleading claims that carbon offsetting and alternative fuels can make flying sustainable. It was hoped there would be a ruling in 2023.
.
Tweet
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS SUSTAINABLE FLYING
KLM’s misleading ads make us believe that we can fly sustainably. But this is an illusion. That’s why we are taking KLM to court.
From the Dutch Go Fossil Free campaign.
In May 2022, during KLM’s shareholders’ meeting in Paris, we warned that we would take KLM to court if they wouldn’t stop their misleading ads.
On the 6th of July, 2022 we filed the lawsuit at the court in Amsterdam. This means that the lawsuit started.
https://gofossilfree.org/nl/nosustainableflying/
KLM, STOP MISLEADING US!
We want an end to KLM’s misleading advertisements about ‘sustainable flying’. That’s why we’re taking KLM to court.
KLM’s marketing makes us believe that that flying won’t worsen the climate emergency. But carbon offsets, biofuels and promises of future technologies are false solutions – there’s no such thing as sustainable flying .
KLM wants to expand its business, while the truth is that the airline industry needs to reduce flights to keep a just, liveable world within reach.
Why are you taking KLM to court?
KLM’s misleading advertising lead us to believe that flying won’t worsen the climate emergency. But this is an illusion. That is why we are taking KLM to court.
According to KLM, customers can offset their flight’s emissions if they pay extra for tree planting or what KLM calls “sustainable” biofuels for its jets. But carbon offsets, biofuels and promises of future technology are false solutions , promoted to reassure people that they can “fly responsibly”. These ‘solutions’ simply can’t make flying sustainable.
KLM is planning to expand its business with more flights – like all airlines worldwide – while aggressively lobbying against climate action. But the truth is that the number of flights overall have to be reduced . The coming years are crucial: emissions – including from aviation – must be reduced now to keep a just, liveable world within reach. It is unfair that a small group of people who fly frequently continue to fuel climate breakdown, while the impacts of a hotter planet are mainly felt by people with less money, people in the Global South and future generations.
We are going to court to demand that KLM stops misleading ys . It’s time for KLM to tell the truth about their fossil-fueled product: flying is one of the fastest ways to heat up the planet. And we demand that KLM stops misleading us by claiming that carbon offsetting and alternative fuels can make flying sustainable.
KLM’s claims debunked
Claim 1: Sustainable aviation is possible
KLM would have us believe that we are on our way to sustainable aviation. KLM’s ‘solutions’ to reduce climate damage – such as bio and synthetic fuels, improved engines and other new technologies – are not capable of making flying sustainable. All these ideas are in reality too limited or too far in the future, or both.
The truth is that the number of flights must be reduced. The next few years are crucial: emissions – including those from aviation – must come down now to keep a just, livable world within reach.
Claim 2: CO2 compensation undoes the climate impact of flying
KLM suggests that emissions from flying can be compensated by planting trees. But it is not an either-or situation. We can only prevent dangerous climate change by both reducing our emissions as quickly as possible and by taking care of forests. We can’t rely on trees in place of reducing emissions.
Moreover, it is uncertain whether the planted trees will actually continue to store CO2 in the future. In a world that is changing due to climate change, forest fires, droughts and tree mortality are more likely to occur.
Claim 3: ‘Sustainable aviation fuels’ can replace fossil fuels
For years, KLM has been claiming that replacing fossil fuels with alternative fuels is the most important way to reduce emissions. But in 2021 KLM used only 0.18% alternative fuels.
Large-scale production of alternative fuels is simply not possible : there are insufficient sustainable resources available. Moreover, all other harmful, non-CO2 climate effects won’t be prevented by its use.
Sign the petition https://gofossilfree.org/nl/nosustainableflying/
See earlier:
Dutch watchdog rules KLM’s ‘Carbon Zero’ advert is misleading
The Dutch advertising watchdog (like the UK’s ASA) ruled that a KLM promotion telling customers they could fly carbon-emission free is misleading. The ad’s tag line, “Be a hero, fly CO2 zero,” is an absolute claim, the Dutch Advertising Code Committee said in their verdict and the company had the burden of proving the statement – it could not. While the ruling is limited to only one airline it touches on broader pressure on airlines to lower their carbon footprint and ‘flight-shaming’ campaigns to get people to stopping flying. Commercially viable alternatives like electric and hydrogen powered jetliners are decades away – so all airlines can do at present is “offsetting” carbon emissions (that is not an effective measure). Offsets such as tree planting and forest protection are no proper compensation for carbon emitted, by a journey or other burning of fossil fuels. There is no real chance of genuinely low carbon aviation fuel being available in significant amounts, without causing various other environmental problems. KLM has two weeks to decide whether it wants to appeal.
https://www.airportwatch.org.uk/2022/04/dutch-watchdog-rules-klms-carbon-zero-advert-is-misleading/
.
.