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The co-founder of a local business specialising in renewable energy has criticised fossil fuel companies in Guernsey for "misleading" customers with marketing that suggests they are environmentally friendly.
Jack Fletcher runs Renew Guernsey, which installs solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. He said that larger oil and petrol companies operating locally are selling themselves as green while continuing to sell fossil fuels which significantly damage the environment.
“I’ve noticed recently that a number of fossil fuel companies have been saying they’re green by using carbon offsets,” said Mr Fletcher. "The latest [incident of greenwashing] I saw was an advert saying, ‘working together for a greener Guernsey’". Mr Fletcher was referring to a banner above the MotorMall forecourt in St Martin's.
“Now, as far as I understand, fossil fuels are not actually green, and even if you were going to plant trees, your fossil fuel generation is still going to be creating emissions when we have a climate emergency that requires action at emergency speeds.”
The great Guernsey greenwash continues by the local fossil fuel companies. Can we just do something about this now? It’s getting ridiculous. https://t.co/0tC3tKpjsO
— Jack Fletcher (@JackFletcherGSY) October 27, 2021
Pictured: Mr Fletcher shared a post on Twitter, criticising a local forecourt for greenwashing.
A company is said to be greenwashing when they spend more money on marketing themselves as environmentally conscious than on taking actions which are genuinely environmentally friendly.
“I think it’s quite misleading and I think it does create confusion for consumers,” said Mr Fletcher.
“Slapping that you’re green on an advert, or on a petrol station, and then saying that you're carbon offsetting is like whistling into the wind.
“It’s not actually going to make any sure-fire contribution. What they need to do is show commitment that they’re looking at renewable energy technologies and really pivot to focus their business on that, now that we have a climate emergency.”
Pictured: Mr Fletcher (right) and his father Paul (left) founded Renew Guernsey together.
Mr Fletcher also wants to convince the States to make their existing energy policies more ambitious.
In 2020, the States approved a 30-year energy strategy with the intention of shrinking greenhouse gas emissions and attaining net zero by 2050.
Mr Fletcher wants that timeframe to be halved.
“It’s quite ambitious and it’s a massive challenge, but in light of COP26 (the 26th UN Climate Change Conference) we’re requesting that the energy policy goal is brought forward to 2035 and we change the objective from net zero to carbon zero.
“It’s to create much faster, quicker action and to sharpen the timetables and sharpen the action of all [committees] in the States of Guernsey.”
Mr Fletcher is also urging deputies to:
increase ‘on-island’ power ambition to 300MW of solar;
commit to moving rapidly away from oil- and gas-based heating and transport;
create energy markets fit for the future, including using the grid as a service and not competitively; and
designing schemes - including within planning and building control - for renewables to connect to the grid.
“Climate change is now an emergency that requires actions at emergency speed and what we need most of all is the government to say 'on-island renewables is a good idea' and follow that up with actionable steps and supporting policy so the energy transition can happen sooner rather than later,” said Mr Fletcher.
“Islanders deserve unmistakable political action and unprecedented political will.”
CIF chose not to respond to Mr Fletcher's comments when asked by Express, however did go on to explain why they've displayed the banner.
The company is partnering with Guernsey Trees for Life to launch a campaign in support of the charity's initiatives.
"When islanders fill up at either Jeffery's or St Martins Garage, CIF will make a donation on their behalf to the charity for every litre sold."
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