TAKE ACTION AGAINST FOSSIL FUEL GREENWASHING

The document outlines a strategy for challenging fossil fuel misinformation in Canada by filing complaints with Advertising Standards Canada and the Competition Bureau of Canada. It provides a detailed comparison of these two avenues, step-by-step filing instructions, and templates for writing complaints. Additionally, it offers guidance on reporting deceptive ads to social media platforms and Google, while highlighting common 'red flags' of greenwashing such as vague language and misleading imagery.

• Canada is described as having a 'massive regulatory gap' regarding greenwashing because the government's detailed guidelines were archived and replaced with 'very general guidelines which are much more ambiguous'.
• Advertising Standards Canada (AS) is recommended for individuals seeking a quick way to flag ads, while the Competition Bureau of Canada (CB) is recommended for organizations capable of providing significant documentation.
• Complaints to Advertising Standards Canada must be about a specific ad seen in Canadian media within the last 3 months, and must not be publicized until a ruling is made or they risk being dismissed.
• The Competition Bureau of Canada uses a 'general impression test' to evaluate if an ad violates the Competition Act, considering both the literal meaning and the overall impression conveyed.
• The Competition Bureau's investigation process is significantly longer than that of Ad Standards, potentially taking 2 to 3 years, during which time the advertisements may continue to run.
• Common greenwashing 'red flags' in fossil fuel advertising include the use of empty language like 'natural,' 'green,' 'sustainable,' or 'clean,' and imagery of natural environments that does not align with the product's actual environmental impact.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). TAKE ACTION AGAINST FOSSIL FUEL GREENWASHING. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Greenwashing-Toolkit-Part-2.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. TAKE ACTION AGAINST FOSSIL FUEL GREENWASHING. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Greenwashing-Toolkit-Part-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=TAKE ACTION AGAINST FOSSIL FUEL GREENWASHING |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Greenwashing-Toolkit-Part-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndtake, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{TAKE ACTION AGAINST FOSSIL FUEL GREENWASHING}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Greenwashing-Toolkit-Part-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }