Expose Big Tobacco role in climate change

• The tobacco industry is a major driver of deforestation, which is another significant contributor to carbon emissions.
• Research continues to show that the tobacco industry cuts down over 500 million trees every year to produce cigarettes.

The Egypt government is hosting the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP27), with a view to building on previous successes and paving the way for future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change.

One of the key agenda for the meeting is de-carbonisation.

The tobacco industry, which is notorious for environmental degradation, is unique in the magnitude of harm as it causes over 80 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and creates the world’s most littered item—the cigarette filter.*

Scientific studies have revealed that the tobacco industry contributes to carbon emissions in two substantial ways. First, the creation of tobacco products, such as cigarettes, produces high volumes of carbon dioxide.

A single cigarette can be responsible for approximately up to 14 grammes of carbon dioxide equivalent throughout its lifecycle from growing to disposal.

At the COP26 held in Scotland, countries agreed that carbon dioxide emissions must be significantly reduced in order to reach its goal of “net-zero” emissions around mid-century.

Unfortunately, with these killer moves from the tobacco industry little will be achieved on this front if the industry is not called out for its deceitful activities.

A report authored by scientists from the Imperial College in London indicates that processing the curing of tobacco leaves to produce dry tobacco is highly energy intensive.

The World Health Organization report released this May titled ‘Tobacco: Poisoning our planet’ highlights that the industry’s carbon footprint from production, processing and transporting tobacco is equivalent to one-fifth of the carbon dioxide produced by the commercial airline industry each year, further contributing to global warming.

The process uses coal or wood burning, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. Additionally, tobacco production consumes in the region of more than 22 billion tonnes of water.

The tobacco industry is a major driver of deforestation, which is another significant contributor to carbon emissions. Trees store carbon, and when they are cut down, they release the carbon they have stored into the atmosphere.

Research continues to show that the tobacco industry cuts down over 500 million trees every year to produce cigarettes. It has also been established that it takes approximately one tree to produce about 15 packets of cigarettes.

COP27 seeks to accelerate global climate action through emissions reduction, scaled-up adaptation efforts and enhanced flows of appropriate finance, recognising that ‘just transition’ remains a priority for developing countries worldwide.

The majority of tobacco is grown in low-and-middle-income countries, where water and farmland are often desperately needed to produce food. Instead, they are being used to grow deadly tobacco plants, while more and more forests are being cleared.

The World Health Organization report released this May titled ‘Tobacco: Poisoning our planet’ highlights that the industry’s carbon footprint from production, processing and transporting tobacco is equivalent to one-fifth of the carbon dioxide produced by the commercial airline industry each year, further contributing to global warming.

Products like cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes also add to the build-up of plastic pollution. Cigarette filters contain microplastics and make up the second-highest form of plastic pollution worldwide.

With these startling facts on the contribution of the tobacco industry to the obvious climate change effects, it is high time the industry was called out for what it is.

Ultimately, the climate crisis is here and it is time to take action, and that means calling out the tobacco industry for the climate change promoter that it is.

The industry has prowled behind the shadows this far, continuing to pollute and degrade the environment with wanton disregard, while at the same time continuing to cause tobacco-related killer diseases.

It’s time for the public, environmental advocates and policymakers to call out the tobacco industry this year, and no other stage aptly presents the world with this opportunity than the COP27.

Source: The Star