From July 1, 2026, fuel retailers across Colorado may be forced to display climate change and health information labels on all gas pumps, according to a bill recently passed by the state House. Similar labels are found in Cambridge, MA, and in Sweden. There are ongoing attempts to introduce such labels across Hawaii.
Cover image: Denver often suffers from poor air quality because it is situated in a bowl. During temperature inversions, polluted air gets trapped and may create the infamous “brown cloud”. Photo credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy
Forerunners
There are at least 211 countries or jurisdictions that demand health information labels on cigarette packs. However, the city of Cambridge, MA, is the only jurisdiction that demands climate and health warnings on gas pumps. Sweden is the only country that requires eco-labels on fuel dispensers and some charging stations, displaying climate impact, renewable share, and raw materials.
The Colorado labelling bill
On April 2nd, 2025, the state House in Colorado passed HB25-1277 with a narrow margin (Aye: 33, No: 30). The bill states:
“Providing consumers with information about the impact of fossil fuel consumption directly at the point of purchase may encourage consumers to reduce their consumption and to use alternative products when appropriate”
The proposed legislation requires all fuel retailers in the state of Colorado to attach a label at a “conspicuous location” on the pump, dispenser or container with the following text:
”WARNING: Use of this product releases air pollutants and greenhouse gases, known by the state of Colorado to be linked to significant health impacts and global heating, respectively, pursuant to section 25-5-1603, C.R.S. Tampering with this label is a violation of section 18-4-510, C.R.S.”
HB25-1277 was introduced by Colorado State Rep. Jennifer Bacon, Rep. Junie Joseph, and Sen. Lisa Cutter, and is spearheaded by 350 Colorado. If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law, Colorado becomes the first U.S. state with mandatory warning labels of this kind.
As a first step, HB25-1277 will be heard in the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee on April 16th, 1:30 PM.
Upcoming labels in Hawaii?
Similar state-wide legislation in Hawaii has been spearheaded by Think Beyond the Pump. It passed the Senate in 2023, but was later blocked by a House committee. The labelling bill was reintroduced in January 2025, but did not make it to the Senate floor.
Support
The question naturally arises whether climate and health information labels on gas pumps make any difference. The issue was discussed at length at a hearing in the Colorado House Energy & Environment Committee on March 6th, 2025.
Professor Kristie L. Ebi and James Brooks have reviewed scholarship on the efficacy of climate and health warning labels on gas pumps. The Swedish Association for Green Mobility (Gröna Mobilister) has collected arguments and data in support of such sustainability labels. There is an ongoing research project at Boston College, with encouraging preliminary results.
An evaluation in 2024 of the eco-labels on Swedish fuel dispensers by the Swedish Energy Agency showed that 75 percent of the drivers in a representative sample of 1 000 motorists declared that the labels would affect their choice of next car. Among the drivers who have seen the environmental information both at the pump and on the retailers’ websites, 35–40 percent claimed that it influenced their choice of fuel for their current car.
Leading authorities in climate, health, communication, psychology and policymaking call for climate and health labels on points of sale of fossil fuels. Signatories of the appeal include lead authors for the IPCC, advisors to the WHO and Californian lawmakers who paved the way for the electric car revolution.
Opposition
The trade organization for the large Swedish fuel companies (Drivkraft Sverige) has tried to get rid of the Swedish eco-labels. It recently got support from the trade organization for the car industry (Mobility Sweden). During the hearing in the Colorado House on March 6th, several fuel producers or retailers voiced their opposition to HB25-1277, as summarized in an article by the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA).
One of the arguments from fossil fuel interests on both sides of the Atlantic is that stickers are costly, making fuel more expensive. However, the evaluation of the Swedish Energy Agency showed that the average cost for the administration of the Swedish eco-labels was no more than 0,03 cent or eurocent per litre sold fuel (about 0,1 cent per gallon), as reported by the retailers themselves.
This small cost includes the yearly production and distribution of stickers with company-specific up-to-date sustainability data. The corresponding cost in Colorado should be lower, since stickers with a fixed message do not need to be replaced very often.
Or do they? It was argued during the hearing in the Colorado House that the stickers will fade in the sharp sunlight and need to be replaced each month. This silly argument reflects the argument heard in Sweden that the stickers will fall off the pump due to cold weather.
Outlook
The current U.S. administration uses the slogan “Drill baby, drill”, scraps policies aimed to promote fossil-free alternatives and seems to deny the very fact that the burning of fossil fuels destabilizes the climate. An executive order on April 8th, 2025, tries to prevent individual states from ”discriminating” fossil energy economically.
In this situation, signing HB25-1277 into law in Colorado can be seen as a sanity check, and as an act of resistance. Legislation aimed at raising awareness may inspire individuals to make informed choices and change behavior – and may help build support for more forceful climate policies when the political wind changes.
Contact
Per Östborn, Campaign manager, We Want to Know, The Swedish Association for Green Mobility
per.ostborn@gronamobilister.se, +46 (0)73 819 61 54
