Climate Integrity

$40,000 | August 2023

What do Climate Integrity do?

Climate Integrity is a new project that will tackle false solutions and greenwashing in business Net Zero pledges in Australia. 

Why is this work important?

This is the era of delaying climate action – when fossil fuel companies like Shell have a social license to publish a Net Zero pledge while expanding coal oil and gas, we have a big problem. We’re seeing a flood of vague net zero commitments that often use a range of tactics to delay real action: unlimited offsetting, unproven carbon capture technology, selective scopes, dishonest accounting, and more.

While there is an increasing focus on accountability and greenwashing, there is not currently a coordinated campaign for a net zero accountability framework in Australia. The effort required to hold companies to account, drive transparency and accountability in net zero policies, and drive smart regulation is under-resourced.

Climate Integrity is a new project launching this year that will build a dedicated force to address false solutions, and greenwashing in business Net Zero pledges across Australia. By doing so, we can restore integrity and public trust in climate solutions.

How is Groundswell supporting this work?

As a new project, Climate Integrity needs start-up funding to launch. This funding would provide critical start-up capacity to support the convening of the expert policy group and publication of the Net Zero benchmarks within 6-12 months. With Groundswell’s support, Climate Integrity’s focus over the next 12 months includes:

Form an Expert Panel: Launch the Australian equivalent of the UN’s High-Level Expert Group on Net Zero with high-profile scientists, current and former business and government leaders. This heavy-hitting panel of leaders would be key spokes and bring the credibility required.

Develop Net Zero Policy Principles: Develop benchmarks for what climate policies and pledges require to be science-aligned with 1.5oC, similar to the recent UN High-Level Expert Group on the Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State.

Actors but for an Australian context: Reframe what climate leadership looks like Use messaging research to develop and amplify powerful frames to shift public perception of net zero, greenwashing and the real action required. And, deliver a national communications campaign to highlight issues in net zero pledges, hold companies to account, call out greenwashing and showcase science-aligned leadership.

Undertake Investigations: Policy analysis to dive into the credibility of climate pledges and policies from select businesses using the benchmarks, highlighting issues and investigating greenwashing.

Build Policy demands for Federal climate accountability regulation: Run a coordinated, collaborative advocacy campaign that builds the public and political will required to regulate Net Zero pledges.