Daily PIB Analysis For UPSC/IAS | Free PDF Download -4th October 2018 -

Table of Contents

What is Greenwashing?

- The term ‘greenwashing’ is in use since the 1960s, but became famous in the 1990s when environmental awareness became a movement across the world.
- Organisations struggle to get public attention and customers’ mind share; pretending to be environment-friendly is one such attention-seeking measure.
- Royal Dutch Shell, has been frequently accused and penalised for its greenwashing campaigns.
- In January 2017, a UK High Court ruled out a claim against Dutch Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary’s oil spill, in which two Niger Delta communities were shattered completely.
- Law is, indeed, blind.
- Another example is of General Motors; it wanted to promote its production and development of fuel-efficient vehicles.
- In 2007, GM launched its “Gas-Friendly to GasFree” campaign, attempting to re-frame the company as environmentally-progressive.
- Regardless of its effort, General Motors continued to be the leading producer of gasguzzler automobiles.
- The campaign highlighted its ways of greening the automobile industry: increasing fuelefficiency, producing vehicles that can run on E85 ethanol fuel blend, developing hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cells.
- The pretense went on while still heavily producing gas-guzzling vehicles.
- In 2013, Revlon campaigned for breast cancer awareness and raising funds for patients of breast cancer.
- During the campaign, it got accused of using chemicals linked to cancer in its cosmetics; the company called the charges “false and defamatory.”
- But, later, Revlon went on to publish its ingredients policy and was declared as one of the environmental-friendly working groups.
- The company reformulated some products to eliminate certain chemicals of concern; longchain parabens and DMDM Hydantoin and Quaternium-15, which release tiny amounts of formaldehyde.
- In 2013, Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) committed to halt deforestation under its Forest Conservation Policy. • Prior to this, APP and its pulpwood suppliers had a history of almost 30 years of deforestation, destruction of wildlife habitat, peat drainage and conflicts with local communities related to the acquisition of land for wood harvesting and pulpwood plantation development in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia.
- The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) announced its decision to suspend APP’s illegal activities in the forests; APP remains the first among a very small number of the most controversial companies in the world that FSC has disassociated from.
- In August 2018, FSC gave an order to APP to align and put in place its corporate structure aligned with measures to put a full stop to its alleged unacceptable forest management activities, including its suppliers.

Throughout the 1990s, Nike was targeted by labour activists and anti-globalisation forces for allowing its suppliers in poor countries to abuse and exploit workers. In the beginning, Nike said it couldn’t be responsible for conditions in factories it didn’t own.
Protests and media reports proliferated.
In 1996, Life magazine published a story headlined “Six Cents an Hour” with a photo of a Pakistani boy sewing Nike soccer balls.
Though it was slow in coming, Nike eventually set up an extensive and expensive system for monitoring and remedying factory conditions in its supply chain, and the rest of the footwear and apparel industry followed in its footsteps.
Some companies make inflated and absurd claims, while others resort to blatant lies.
There are tools to safeguard the environment and a consensus is made on easing the production of environmentally-friendly products.
Workplace safety, correct work procedures, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control have become crucial.
Globalisation has created cross-border alliances paving way for more opportunities, but it also has put stringent rules and regulations for human and environment protection.
Adding environmental management to their internal policies is a must for organisations.
Companies must conform and endorse to legislation by investing more in clean technologies and merchandise that cause lowering pollution.
Greenwashing is a phrase used in advertising to describe initiatives taken by organisations to preserve the environment; this they do to improve their public image.
Greenwashing is a spin of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in declaring itself to promoting environmentally-friendly policies whereas, in reality, the company does not live up to the commitment.
Companies keep making unsubstantiated or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of its products, services, technology and strategic practices.
In essence, greenwashing involves incorrectly conveying to consumers that a given product, service, company or institution cares for the environment.
Greenwashing is a temporary measure that might help organisations for a while, but in the long run, it just doesn’t work.

Cabinet

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA, has increased the Minimum Support Price, MSP, for all Rabi crops for the current financial year which will be marketed in 2019-20 season.
Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said:
The Minister said the MSP fixed by the government is much higher than the cost of production.
Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad said, the decision is a step towards doubling the farmers’ income.
The Union Cabinet has approved Bhopal and Indore metro rail project.
Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Bhopal Metro project is estimated to cost 6941 crore rupees and is likely to be completed in four years.
The Indore Metro project will cost over 7000 crore rupees.
National Institute of mental health rehabilitation on Bhopal-Seohar road will be established.
The cabinet also approved a package of 469.41 crore rupees for public sector undertaking NEPA Limited for revival and mill development plan in Madhya Pradesh.
The Cabinet today approved the redevelopment of Railway Stations by Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC).
This will be done through simplified procedures adapting various business model and for longer lease tenure of upto 99 years.
The program will help provide state-of-the-art amenities for passengers and generate additional revenue.
Mr Prasad said, redevelopment of railway stations will lead to increased job creation and improved economic growth.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: Indian Railway stations development corporation limited. This shall be the nodal agency to ensure a coordinated development of all the railway stations. Should there be a combinations of certain Railway stations or large Railway Station. This will take a call depending upon the suitability, the exclusivity and market conditions.

PMO

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the “Champions of the Earth” award he was conferred with today, is an honour to 125 core Indians who are committed to environment protection.
He said, it is also an honour to tribals, fishermen and farmers of India.
He emphasized that the award is also an honour for India’s commitment for sustainable energy.
Mr Modi expressed happiness that India’s sensitivity towards environment is being acknowledged the world over.
He said Indian culture has always considered environment as a living entity functioning in a balanced eco-system.
He said climate and calamity are directly related to culture and if climate is not the focus of the culture, calamity cannot be prevented.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres presented the United Nations highest environmental honour award to Mr. Modi at a special ceremony in New Delhi.
The Prime Minister has been selected in the leadership category for his pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance.
It is also in recognition of Mr Modi’s unprecedented pledge to eliminate all singleuse plastic in India by 2022.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, Prime Minister Modi recognises that climate change poses a direct existential threat to the world and also knows what needs to be done to avoid a catastrophe.
He said, Mr. Modi knows the problems and also works to solve them.

President

President Ram Nath Kovind today said, no reform of the UN will be complete without the reform of the UN Security Council.
Mr Kovind said, the current permanent membership of the Security Council does not reflect contemporary global realities.
He emphasised that the Security Council’s membership and work methods need to be d to equip it to face the challenges of the 21st century.
Mr Kovind said this while Secretary-General of United Nations Antonio Guterres called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
The President said the UN must adapt itself to the changing times and should be more responsive to the needs of all countries.