UPSC Prelims 2022 Q80: Environment & Ecology – Environmental Governance & Legislation
Which one of the following best describes the term “greenwashing”?
- (a) Conveying a false impression that a company’s products are eco - friendly and environmentally sound
- (b) Non - inclusion of ecological/environmental costs in the Annual Financial Statements of a country
- (c) Ignoring the disastrous ecological consequences while undertaking infrastructure development
- (d) Making mandatory provisions for environmental costs in a government project/programme
Answer: (a) Conveying a false impression that a company’s products are eco - friendly and environmentally sound
Explanation
Greenwashing
Greenwashing means misleading people into believing a company, product or policy is more environment-friendly than it really is.
| Common greenwashing trick | Example |
|---|---|
| Vague claims | 'Eco-friendly' or 'natural' with no proof |
| Hidden trade-off | Highlighting recycled packaging while the product pollutes heavily |
| Fake labels | Self-made 'green' certification logos |
| Irrelevant claims | 'CFC-free' when CFCs are already banned |
India's Central Consumer Protection Authority issued guidelines on greenwashing in 2024 to curb such claims.
| Other option | Better term |
|---|---|
| (b) Leaving out ecological costs in national accounts | Absence of green accounting |
| (c) Ignoring the ecological effects of infrastructure | Poor environmental impact assessment |
| (d) Mandatory environmental cost provisions | Environmental costing |
Answer: (a) Conveying a false impression that a company's products are eco-friendly and environmentally sound.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Greenwashing is giving a false impression that products or firms are environment-friendly.
- (b) Incorrect. Leaving out ecological costs from accounts concerns green accounting, not greenwashing.
- (c) Incorrect. Ignoring project impacts is a failure of environmental impact assessment.
- (d) Incorrect. Mandatory environmental costing is a good practice, the opposite of greenwashing.
Key point
Greenwashing = misleading claims that a product or company is eco-friendly; CCPA issued anti-greenwashing guidelines in 2024.
Remember
Greenwashing = fake eco-friendly image.
Common mistakes
- Confusing greenwashing with green accounting, which concerns national income statistics.
- Thinking greenwashing is a government policy failure; it is mainly corporate marketing.
- Reading 'washing' as cleaning the environment rather than covering up.
Exam tip
'-washing' terms mean a false cover: greenwashing, whitewashing, sportswashing.
Sources
- Central Consumer Protection Authority — Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing (2024)
- UNEP — Greenwashing and consumer information