ELI seeks High Court declaration that Z Energy has misled New Zealanders
ELI, Consumer NZ and Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand (LCANZI) are seeking declarations from the High Court that Z Energy has breached the Fair Trading Act by misleading New Zealanders with its public messaging.
Z Energy is the second largest greenhouse gas emitter in New Zealand and is accountable for more than ten percent of the country’s emissions .
Last year Z’s advertising campaigns featured slogans like, “we’re in the business of getting out of the petrol business”, and Z is “well on track to achieving [its] carbon reduction targets.”
In reality Z’s fossil fuel sales and carbon emissions are increasing.
ELI, Consumer NZ and LCANZI allege that through various advertising campaigns and public statements Z has created the impression it is taking urgent action to counter the climate crisis. Claims have included that Z:
is reducing its carbon emissions
is getting out of the petrol business
has built a biofuel plant
is rapidly expanding its EV charging network
ELI, Consumer NZ and LCANZI believe Z Energy is capitalising on New Zealanders’ concerns about the climate crisis for commercial gain.
"Z Energy has made some bold claims, but we can see no current and credible plan for exiting the petrol business or for Z reducing its total emissions." said Matthew Hall, Director, Research and Legal at the Environmental Law Initiative.
"Z Energy's emissions are increasing and are not in line with the reductions we need by 2030 to stay aligned with 1.5 degrees of warming.
We’re taking this case so that when businesses say they’re helping the environment, the public knows that they actually are.”