Publication: L.A. Times

UCLA Expert: Julia Stein: Deputy Director,  Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment, UCLA School of Law

Synopsis: Nearly three years ago, American Airlines carved a path toward its net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by focusing on six key sectors, including sustainable aviation fuel, fleet renewal and operational improvements. But there are still many companies out there that only use such claims for “greenwashing,” or claiming to be sustainable for the public benefits, without truly being so.

UCLA News: “Companies are making claims that they’re net zero, or carbon neutral, or that they’re on the path to net zero, and it’s really hard to assess whether those claims are true without understanding what the actual carbon footprint of the company is,” Stein said. “There’s no mechanism that we have right now that mandates disclosure of those emissions, so this would be a step towards that.”

Read more at L.A.Times.