“There’s no doubt that modern lifestyles and demand for goods contributed to the climate crisis and environmental degradation and we can’t shy away from the fact that advertising has played a role in fuelling consumerism,” WPP boss Mark Read acknowledged at the Advertising Association’s Ad Net Zero conference running alongside COP26.
But he went on to argue that the advertising industry is also uniquely placed to help accelerate the transition that is now required: “marketing and communications have the power to shift opinion and change behaviour at the scale needed for a more sustainable future.” WPP is already taking steps,...