National Assembly, illustration.

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Jacques Witt / SIPA

The deputies on Thursday toughened the ban on advertising for fossil fuels, and stepped up the fight against "ecological bleaching", while remaining below the demands of the left but also of some in the majority.

An amendment by co-rapporteur Aurore Bergé (LREM), adopted in session, prohibits advertising for the “marketing and promotion” of fossil fuels, while the initial text only mentioned “sale”.

Reinforced sanctions

Another amendment by Aurore Bergé strengthens the penalties in the event of non-compliance with this ban, which could reach an amount corresponding to the totality of the expenses devoted to the criminal operation, instead of half as initially planned.

These provisions appear in article 4 of this bill aiming to “fight against climate change”, at first reading in the National Assembly, whose government wants to mark the five-year term.

The right has denounced an article that could deprive sectors such as the media or sports and cultural associations of important advertising resources.

LR elected officials like Julien Aubert also deplored that natural gas is put on the same level as coal or oil, while it generates less CO2.

No turn of the screw on car advertising

The left and some deputies of the most ecological wing of the majority, on the contrary, pleaded in vain for a turn of the screw on car advertising, in particular that in favor of the most polluting vehicles.

Aurore Bergé pointed to a "significant risk for the media", already very weakened by the health crisis, the automotive sector constituting their second source of advertising revenue.

She also stressed that this advertisement was now very largely devoted to the cleanest vehicles, electric or hybrid.

WWF deplored that the Assembly did not go further: "the government's proposal to ban the advertising of fossil fuels only makes sense if we include products that pollute and consume these fossil fuels", especially the heaviest SUVs (urban SUVs), according to the NGO in a press release.

The Citizen's Climate Convention, which inspired the measures of this bill, had also proposed strong restrictions on advertising.

Greenwashing assimilated to a "deceptive commercial practice"

MEPs also attacked “greenwashing”, by assimilating to a “deceptive commercial practice” the fact of attributing to a product fallacious environmental virtues.

This "better definition" targets "those who want to pass off bladders for lanterns," Minister Barbara Pompili said.

The parliamentarians also tightened the corresponding sanctions, which could reach 80% of the expenses incurred.

They also banned, in an advertisement, "wrongly claiming that a product or service is carbon neutral" or "without negative consequences on the climate".

And have made mandatory the display in advertising of cars and household appliances of their class of carbon dioxide emissions (A to G).

Codes of good conduct

In the evening, the deputies adopted article 5 which provides for the promotion by the Superior council of audio-visual (CSA) of "codes of good conduct" for the audio-visual advertisements on "goods and services having a negative impact on the 'environment'.

On the left, Mathilde Panot (LFI) noted that "voluntary commitments have never led to anything", criticizing on the part of the government an "ecology of the caress towards the lobbies".

The right was also opposed to the measure, but for other reasons, not wanting to "weigh down the French system" with "non-negotiated" and "blind" objectives for the sectors concerned.

Barbara Pompili, for her part, defended the "first promising commitments" of sectors such as the automobile and the food industry, judging that "the method of co-regulation adopted is good".

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