The UN Secretary General wants to tackle advertising for oil companies. Antonio Guterres compares them to the tobacco industry, which has suffered major restrictions.
The UN Secretary General often speaks out to raise alarm about the climate. Recently, he spoke in New York and again attacked the oil industry. According to him, other industries, including media and technology, must stand up against fossil fuels. He recalls that laws exist against tobacco companies, and that this can apply to oil companies.
“Many governments limit or ban advertising for products that harm human health, such as tobacco”recalls Guterres, who believes that several industries must take their responsibilities. “I urge all countries to ban advertising by oil companies. And I urge media and technology companies to stop accepting fossil fuel advertising.”
Guterres is concerned about the direction taken: “We are playing Russian roulette with our planet. We need an off-ramp on the highway to climate hell.”
“We are the danger” on Earth
The Secretary-General is often very explicit in expressing his fears on the subject. He laments the fact that humanity is heading straight for catastrophe because of its own actions. “Like the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs, we have an outsized impact. In the case of climate, we are not the dinosaurs, we are the meteor. We are not only in danger, we are the danger.”
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Guterres urges people to no longer support the development of fossil fuels. He reminds us that the industry is increasing inequalities in the face of the climate, and that this will have brutal repercussions. Today, the oil companies have their napkin ring at the climate decision-making table. “The sponsors of climate chaos – the fossil fuel industry – are raking in record profits and feasting on trillions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies.”
“It is shameful that the most vulnerable are being left behind, desperately struggling to tackle a climate crisis they had no part in creating.We cannot accept a future where the rich are protected in air-conditioned bubbles, while the rest of humanity is hit by deadly weather conditions in unlivable countries.”
“Leaders must decide which side they are on”
The Portuguese recalls that advertisements for oil companies help this industry. According to him, it is important that advertising agencies, and therefore their clients, take their responsibilities. “I call on these companies to stop being complicit in the destruction of the planet. It’s the people against the polluters and profiteers. It’s time for leaders to decide which side they are on.”
“Stop taking on new fossil fuel customers today and put plans in place to exit the ones you already have. Fossil fuels aren’t just poisoning our planet. They’re toxic to your brand.”.
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The oil industry denies accusations that it is not trying. Megan Bloomgren, senior vice president of communications at the American Petroleum Institute, became annoyed when reacting to Guterres’ comments: “Our industry is focused on continuing to produce affordable, reliable energy while addressing the climate challenge, and any claims to the contrary are false”she assured.
However, as The Guardian points out, the situation is indeed catastrophic. Ko Barrett, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, recalls that “we are far from achieving the objectives set by the Paris Agreements”. These agreements plan to limit the increase in temperatures to 1.5 degrees in the future. Andrea Dutton, a climatologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, warns of the current emergency.
“The problem is now urgent, and we cannot say that we will have to do something in the future, we must act now”she said. “The sooner we start to significantly reduce emissions, the sooner we can start to make a difference.”
