Climate Confident Greenwashing, Greenhushing & Climate Accountability – What’s Really Going On?
In this episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Jenny Morgan, author of Cancel Culture in Climate, to explore how public shaming and polarisation are holding back real progress on climate solutions.
We already have the tools and technologies needed to reduce emissions, yet fear of criticism—whether from activists, media, or the public—often paralyses businesses and leaders. Jenny explains how cancel culture leads to three major pitfalls:
- Greenwashing – Overstating sustainability efforts to avoid backlash.
- Greenhushing – Staying silent about genuine climate initiatives to escape scrutiny.
- Green recanting – Companies reversing climate commitments due to heightened pressure.
Rather than tearing down imperfect efforts, Jenny advocates for empathetic accountability—holding organisations to account while keeping the door open for progress. We discuss how companies like Patagonia and Allbirds have embraced transparency over perfection, and how social media can be both a force for good and a major obstacle to climate communication.
Key takeaways:
✔ Why fear of being “called out” prevents meaningful climate action.
✔ How businesses can regain trust after sustainability missteps.
✔ Practical strategies to foster productive climate conversations.
Tune in to rethink how we approach climate accountability—and why working with people is more effective than working against them.
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Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper