GOOD Statement by Kaden Arguile,
GOOD National Youth Chairperson
27 November 2024
The GOOD Party supports and endorses Fossil Free South Africa’s campaign to end greenwashing within our country starting with an advertising ban on all material classified as such.
Greenwashing is when companies engaged in environmentally damaging practices use media and marketing strategies to falsely present themselves as eco-friendly, masking their harm with misleading claims of environmental stewardship.
This use of media in a digital era can only be described as propaganda with severe ramifications.
As a political party, environmental justice is at the root of our organization.
This justice can only be gained through an environmental reform undertaken by individuals in addition to government and business structures that keep our country growing.
This campaign is the first of its kind on the African continent and will be South Africa’s first official greenwashing complaint.
Lazola Kati, Fossil Ad Ban Campaign Manager explains ‘the campaign’s momentum gained traction in August when it filed the country’s first greenwashing complaint with the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) against TotalEnergies. The ARB ruled that TotalEnergies’ use of the term “sustainable development” was misleading and violated advertising standards.’
Sacrificing our environment in the pursuit of coal and gas is not South Africa’s future nor is it the solution to the injustices facing our society.
GOOD’s energy stance can be summarised into two core beliefs.
We believe that an integrated energy pool heavily reliant on green power is South Africa’s best chance for recovery both economically and environmentally.
Secondly, our transition must be just so that no new environmentally destructive projects be funded in our future due to our international sustainability commitments for 2030.
GOOD and Fossil Free South Africa are committed to a new reality where our environment is treated with the respect it deserves.
Collaborative efforts between political parties and non-governmental entities are essential to this vision’s success.
A community formed on this principle is capable of incredible change.
Greenwashing is a direct threat to the future of our home.
A future filled with fossil fuels strips South Africa of its green and gold.
Media enquiries:media@forgood.org.za