ASA Guidance: Environmental Claims—Clear on Emissions but Not on Omissions

The ASA published guidance emphasizing that unqualified environmental claims may mislead if they omit material information. The guidance references recent rulings, including against TotalEnergies for omitting information about its fossil fuel activities in an ad, and in favor of Shell for providing balanced context. The ASA reiterates that ads must not focus solely on green initiatives without acknowledging the wider environmental impact.