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Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v. GM Holden Ltd. - opinion

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) filed a suit against GM Holden Ltd for wrongly advertising that Saab vehicles provided “carbon neutral motoring.”  GM Holden had claimed that Saab would plant 17 native trees for every Saab vehicle purchased to offset the carbon emissions.  ACCC filed its claim on the basis that GM Holden had not shown any change in the way it manufactured Saab vehicles subsequent to its carbon neutral campaign and that GM Holden’s claim that 17 native trees would offset the carbon emissions was not proven and was misleading.  The Federal Court declared that GM Holden had breached sections 52 and 53(c) of the Trade Practices Act 1974.  GM Holden agreed to advise its marketing staff to avoid “misleading and deceptive” marketing tactics and to plant 12,500 native trees to offset all the carbon emissions that would occur by Saab vehicles sold during the marketing campaign. 

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v. GM Holden Ltd.

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

Activities that relate to the production of goods and services from forests.

Tradable permits are market-based tools that grant permission for specific activities, frequently used to regulate emissions. These permits can be issued within a trading system to manage environmental impacts.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

Actions or measures to adapt terrestrial systems to climate change.

Activities of government agencies and institutions that provide public services, enforce laws and manage public resources.

This sector involves activities that impart knowledge and skills to individuals, including formal schooling, vocational training and educational support.

Activities of businesses and institutions that provide financial services and products to individuals and organisations.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v. GM Holden Ltd. - opinion

Policy instrument

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience

Finance