Climate-Damaging Products Should be Marked with Smoking-Style Warnings, Experts Say

Public health experts have claimed that similar warnings to those displayed on cigarette packets to discourage smoking should be attached to climate-damaging products such as airline tickets, petrol pumps and energy bills. These warnings will help consumers understand the health effects of the climate crisis and the impact that specific products have on the climate.

The idea is that by spreading awareness of the consequences of climate-damaging goods and services, consumption patters will change and lead to an increase in demand for renewable energy and zero-carbon commodities.

Experts have suggested using pictures of damaged lungs to show the impact of air pollution or images of people who have died from heatwaves. The messages could also vary based on the location. For instance, high-carbon products could come with a warning of increased spread of diseases such as Malaria, as these will transition from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere as a result of global warming. Other warnings include risks to food and water scarcity.