Program on the Environment

In the United States, the environmental finance industry works to support the flow of capital into environmentally conscious products and initiatives, to bolster the economy while assisting climate and sustainability efforts. And yet, it’s the American capitalist system itself that has given rise to dangerous issues within the environmental finance sector: corporate greenwashing and the dissemination of climate mis- and disinformation. Both corporate greenwashing and the dissemination of climate mis- and disinformation deceive stakeholders, divert time and resources from environmental advocacy, solutions, and policy, harm biodiversity, and contribute to environmental and public health risks. The purpose of this study was to understand the origins and development of corporate greenwashing and climate mis- and disinformation, their impacts, and how both of these issues expose a pressing need for amendments to the United States’ market system. To address these issues, I worked as a Marketing and Communications Intern with the investment firm Raise Green. In this role, I conducted independent literary review, interviews, and collected observational data to research corporate greenwashing behaviors and climate mis- and disinformation trends. My findings revealed that both corporations and lone actors use a variety of strategies to engage in greenwashing activities and climate mis- and disinformation spreading, due to financial incentives, competitive advantages, and regulatory avoidance benefits. In turn, these actions have profound negative impacts on consumers, the general public, and the environment, disclosing perilous flaws in American capitalism. These implications indicate a need for improvements and changes within the nation’s economic structure. These may be done so through SEC Amendments, legislative interventions, third-party reporting involvement, and proposing regulatory frameworks.