Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will raise a story that appeared on the front page of The Independentabout a ground-breaking decision taken by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland, ASAI, with regard to greenwashing. It is very important, when we are all trying to do the right thing on climate change, that we are not being misled by companies that are trying to greenwash and are saying they are doing things they are not doing. The decision taken by the ASAI relates to companies claiming that they produce 100% renewable electricity. Customers could choose to get electricity from that company because they think they are doing the right thing. What the company is actually doing is using certificates of origin, a very complex system that effectively means they are buying up certificates of renewable energy that is produced in another country, adding these up to make 100% and telling customers they are getting 100% renewable electricity. I welcome the decision taken by the ASAI. I understand it affects approximately 250,000 customers of companies which have used this claim about using 100% renewable electricity. It will set a precedent that they will no longer be able to advertise in this manner. It is a real win for customer confidence. The climate action plan calls for a change in the system whereby these companies buy these certificates legally - they are not doing anything illegal - because it has facilitated their use of greenwashing advertisements. The decision is very welcome, but I remind the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, that the system needs to change. We could debate this with him when he is next in the Seanad. We need to change the system of green certificates because it is greenwashing and facilitates these misleading advertisements.