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https://theconversation.com/out-of-bounds-how-much-does-greenwashing-cost-fossil-fuel-sponsors-of-australian-sport-192720>
"High-profile Australian athletes and supporters across sports such as cricket,
netball and Australian Rules football have recently called for their sports to
reconsider their partnerships with fossil fuel or mining companies.
Our report, released today, is the first research to quantify the number and
value of fossil-fuel sponsorships in Australian sport. It reveals coal, gas and
oil companies spend A$14 million to A$18 million each year sponsoring 14
high-profile leagues and sports in Australia.
We identified 51 such partnerships. The major fossil-fuel sponsors of sport
include companies such as Santos, Alinta, BHP and Woodside.
The money these sponsors spend on sport is at least partly an investment in
“greenwashing” their images. Fossil fuel corporations are major sources of the
emissions that drive climate change, but through sports sponsorship they
leverage the positive image of sport and fan loyalty associated with teams.
The association of these sponsors’ names and logos with popular sports and
athletes can sanitise the image of fossil fuel companies. When sports embrace
high-polluting brands, they help normalise those companies’ contributions to
the climate crisis.
But many Australian sport organisations are starting to take action to reduce
their carbon footprint. They are also leveraging their media profiles to
promote environmentally positive behaviours. As they do so, coal, oil and gas
sponsorships and partnerships are coming under increasing public scrutiny."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
