🧃 Why Big Companies are Erasing Climate Commitments

Welcome to The Strawman, the daily climate newsletter that's like your nosy neighbor—always watching who's putting their recycling out… or in this case, who's sneakily deleting it from their website.

The Great Climate Vanishing Act

Walmart, Kraft Heinz, and other US giants have been busy doing some digital housekeeping—but instead of clearing out old promotions, they're scrubbing climate commitments from their websites. Under increasing political heat and the Trump administration's sharp pivot against environmental policies, companies are deleting or rewriting statements about climate change. Walmart, once “deeply committed to addressing climate change,” has quietly dropped that language, while Kraft Heinz has removed its 2030 emissions reduction targets, citing "internal and external challenges."

The move isn’t just about keeping websites tidy. It's about sidestepping political backlash and navigating new funding hurdles. With Trump dismissing climate concerns as a hoax and reshaping federal climate policy, companies are trimming their green talk to avoid becoming targets.

Greenhushing Goes Mainstream

What’s happening here isn’t just corporate jitters—it's a textbook case of greenhushing. That’s when companies keep their climate actions low-key to dodge criticism or political blowback. Meta has scaled back its bold claims about "leading the way on climate change," while American Airlines has quietly dropped language about the urgency of a low-carbon transition. Even Ford has softened its messaging, trimming direct references to climate action from its UK website.

Experts warn that this kind of greenhushing erodes transparency and accountability. When companies go quiet about their climate goals, it’s harder for consumers and investors to hold them to account. It's not just bad PR—it’s potentially bad business.

Rebranding the Climate Crisis

It’s not just corporations playing word games. Nonprofits are also rebranding their climate initiatives, especially as US funding streams dry up. Projects that once shouted “climate resilience” are now quietly rebranded under safer terms like “food security” or “water access.” Even the UN’s World Food Programme is considering softening its climate language to avoid jeopardizing funds.

The shift isn't just cosmetic. It risks sidelining the urgency of climate issues and downplaying the stakes for vulnerable communities. But with Trump-era funding freezes and political attacks on green initiatives, many organizations feel backed into a corner. When even the language of climate change becomes a liability, the battle for action gets even tougher.

Takeaway

In a world where words are being weaponized, the erasure of climate language isn’t just about optics—it’s about reshaping the narrative. But if companies and nonprofits fall silent, it’s not just their reputations at risk—it’s the planet.