By Jo-Anne Smetherham
Our Fossil Ad Ban (FAB) campaign has now secured three milestones in the battle against greenwashing in South Africa through complaints laid with the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB).
In its third verdict in our favour, the ARB recently ruled that its members may no longer publish advertisements with broad descriptions like “green”, “environmentally friendly”, and “sustainable”, unless these claims are clearly qualified or contextualised.
The ARB’s members include the National Association of Broadcasters, the Marketing Association of South Africa, the Association of Independent Publishers, and the Interactive Advertising Bureau South Africa.
FAB had submitted a complaint about text on the gas company CNG Holdings’ website describing compressed natural gas (CNG) as a “cleaner, greener fuel option”, “environmentally friendly”, and a product that “promotes a sustainable future”.
The ARB found that such phrases could be seen as absolute environmental claims unless clearly qualified, and are likely to mislead consumers.
Said FAB lead Lazola Kati: “ This ruling shows that the tide of opinion truly is changing against fossil fuel companies, despite their enormous power and influence. We trust they will think twice before making unsubstantiated environmental claims about climate-wrecking fossil fuels in the media again.”
“We welcome the ruling and commend the ARB on its rigorous processes and thorough analysis of the issues.”
FAB had argued that CNG’s statements create the misleading impression that CNG is environmentally benign, despite being a fossil fuel associated with significant lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.
Methane is the primary constituent of natural gas. The International Energy Agency states that methane is responsible for about 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, and that rapid cuts reductions in methane emissions are crucial for limiting near-term global warming in the short term.
Natural gas is primarily methane, a greenhouse gas that is over 80 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period, the Rocky Mountain Institute has found.
In reaching its decision, the ARB referred to its earlier ruling against TotalEnergies in 2025 in response to the first complaint FAB lodged, and applied the same principles.
FAB’s second complaint was against Shell, following which the fuel and chemical company withdrew a series of claims on its website promoting “sustainable fuels” and “innovative fuels and lubricants”.
FAB had argued that these claims create a misleading impression by depicting fossil fuels as environmentally beneficial without reflecting their full climate impacts.
CNG Holdings is not a member of the ARB and the ARB therefore does not have jurisdiction to issue a binding ruling on CNG Holdings. The ARB issued the ruling as guidance for its members.
