A LITTLE information is a dangerous thing. A lot of information, if it鈥檚 inaccurate or confusing, even more so. This is a problem for anyone trying to spend or invest in an environmentally sustainable way. Investors are barraged with indexes purporting to describe companies鈥� eco-credentials, some of dubious quality. Green labels on consumer products are ubiquitous, but their claims are hard to verify.
The confusion is evident from 快猫短视频鈥榮 analysis of whether public perceptions of companies鈥� green credentials reflect reality (see 鈥淗ey, green spender, spend a buck on me鈥�). It shows that many companies considered 鈥済reen鈥� have done little to earn that reputation, while others do not get sufficient credit for their efforts to reduce their environmental impact. Obtaining better information is crucial, because decisions by consumers and big investors will help propel us towards a green economy.
鈥淏etter information is crucial, because decisions by consumers will propel us towards a green economy鈥�
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At present, it is too easy to make unverified claims. Take disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions, for example. There are voluntary schemes such as the , but little scrutiny of the figures companies submit, which means investors may be misled.
Measurements can be difficult to interpret, too, like those for water use. In this case, context is crucial: a litre from rain-soaked Ireland is not the same as a litre drawn from the Arizona desert. The involvement of organisations that specialise in thorny measurement issues, such as the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, will be key.
Similar problems bedevil 鈥済reen鈥� labels attached to individual products. Here, the developed by the Green Electronics Council shows the way forward. Its come from the , the world鈥檚 leading professional association for technology.
Other schemes, such as the planned by US retail giant Walmart, are broader. Devising rigorous standards for a large number of different types of product will be tough, placing a huge burden on the that is doing the underlying scientific work.
Our investigation also reveals that many companies choose not to disclose data. Some will want to keep it that way. This is why we need legal requirements for full disclosure of environmental information, with the clear message that the polluter will eventually be required to pay. Then market forces will drive companies to clean up their acts.
Let鈥檚 hope we can rise to this challenge. Before we can have a green economy we need a green information economy 鈥� and it鈥檚 the quality of the information, as well as its quantity, that will count.