Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Pakistani army: 6 soldiers and 7 militants killed in clash near the Afghan border
Israeli media: Sirens sound in the settlement of Kerem Shalom in the Gaza envelope area
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: We still believe in dialogue and prioritize diplomatic solutions with Pakistan; though we are ready for all possibilities.
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: Pakistan purposely obstructed negotiations in Turkey by making unrealistic demands.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: More than 70 martyrs in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn.
Death toll from latest Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 30
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two civilians were killed and four others, including a child and an infant, were injured in an Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Banna family in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli airstrike targets the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west of Gaza City

Coca-Cola faces outrage over sponsorship of COP27 climate conference

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 5 Oct 2022 16:43
4 Min Read

Environmental campaign spokesperson: "It’s astounding that a company so tied to the fossil fuel industry is allowed to sponsor such a vital climate meeting.”

  • x
  • The beverage manufacturer is an official sponsor of COP27 (LinkedIn)
    The beverage manufacturer is an official sponsor of COP27 (LinkedIn)

This year's UN climate conference, known as the COP27, struck a sponsorship with Coca-Cola, which has been labeled as the “world’s top polluter” by environmentalists. The event has been accused of 'greenwashing' by campaigners. 

“Coca-Cola sponsoring the Cop27 is pure ‘greenwash’. Coca-Cola is one of the world’s biggest users of plastic.", said Emma Priestland, the coordinator for Break Free From Plastic, which is a global coalition of organizations and individuals fighting for the environment, who added: "Over four years, we’ve found Coca-Cola to be the world’s top plastic polluter in our annual brand audits... it’s astounding that a company so tied to the fossil fuel industry is allowed to sponsor such a vital climate meeting.”

Sponsorships by corporations for the COP events have caused controversy and confusion among environmental campaigners, with a petition already initiated in the last COP in Glasgow for the removal of the soft drink company from the list of sponsors. Oceans campaign director at Greenpeace USA, John Hocevar, commented: “It is baffling that Coca-Cola – the world’s biggest plastic polluter in all global Break Free From Plastic brand audits – will sponsor this year’s UNFCCC Conference of Parties in Egypt. Coca-Cola produces 120bn throwaway plastic bottles a year – and 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuels, worsening both the plastic and climate crisis". 

During the signing ceremony of the cooperation at the foreign ministry in Cairo, Coca-Cola’s vice-president of operations for North Africa, Ahmad Rady said: “Coca-Cola’s firm belief that working together through meaningful partnerships will create shared opportunities for communities and people around the world and in Egypt.” This came as a shock to both environmentalists and social media as it would be ironic for a corporation that is known to be one of the world's biggest plastic producers to support a global event aiming to tackle the climate crisis that corporations like itself and others have caused.

  • The signing ceremony of the sponsorship (Zawya.com)
    The signing ceremony of the sponsorship (Zawya.com)

Related News

UN calls on shipping industry to cut emissions

Saudi green strategy not viable, fails to address climate crisis

Hocevar urged that “they have yet to even acknowledge that this is a problem or explain how they will meet their climate goals without ending their plastic addiction. This partnership undermines the very objective of the event it seeks to sponsor.”

Ironically as well, just days ago, the UK was warned by Egypt against “backtracking from the global climate agenda”, in a significant intervention prompted by fears over Liz Truss’s commitment to net zero. 

Unilever was the main partner at last year's COP26 while AG Barr, manufacturer of Irn-Bru, was the main soft drink and water supplier at two convention centers in Glasgow during the conference which included surprise support from US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she was handed a can by the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

Sponsorship of COP26 was said to have been worth about £250m ($248m), with other endorsements from firms like Sky, Hitachi, National Grid, ScottishPower, Microsoft, NatWest, Sainsbury’s, and Unilever.

In response to the widespread criticism of the recent Coca-Cola said: “We share the goal of eliminating waste from the ocean and appreciate efforts to raise awareness about this challenge. We are prepared to do our part and have set ambitious goals for our business, starting with helping to collect and recycle a bottle or can for everyone we sell – regardless of where it comes from – by 2030. In 2020 we signed a joint statement urging United Nations member states to adopt a global treaty to tackle the plastic waste issue through a holistic, circular economy approach … Our support for Cop27 is in line with our science-based target to reduce absolute carbon emissions by 25% by 2030, and our ambition for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

However, Hocevar said: “Cutting plastic production and ending single-use plastic is in line with the goal of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees. If Coca-Cola really wants to solve the plastic and climate crisis, it needs to turn off its plastics tap.”

The world’s main forum for heads of governments, businesses, and environmental organizations to discuss and find solutions for the anthropogenic climate emergency, is due to be held in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh from November 6-18.

  • COP27
  • Sharm El-Sheikh
  • Egypt
  • Climate change
  • greenpeace
  • Climate crisis
  • Coca-Cola

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025
What Marr evidently didn't seem to understand was that Hedges isn't saying that Western journalists manipulate the truth, but that they systematically amplify Israeli narratives they know are false. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Western journalists know they have a case to answer for their betrayal of Gaza, and it frightens them

  • Opinion
  • 24 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Saudi's PIF refocuses on AI, logistics, and religious tourism
Economy

Saudi Arabia's fund refocuses on AI, logistics, and religious tourism

Detained Bahraini activist al-Khawaja starts new hunger strike.
Politics

Detained Bahraini activist al-Khawaja starts new hunger strike

Israel fortifies Gaza’s "yellow line," prepares to dig in.
Politics

'Israel' fortifies Gaza’s 'yellow line,' prepares to dig in: WSJ

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One as he travels from Tokyo, Japan, to South Korea, on October 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Asia

Trump’s weak dollar strategy risks global fallout: Forbes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS