In a global first being heralded by supporters far and wide as the path to follow, The Hague has banned fossil fuel advertising through local ordinance, rather than individual agreements with advertisers.
Scheduled to come into effect Jan. 1, the citywide ban will apply to all advertising for actual fossil products (like oil and gas), as well as products and services that depend on fossil fuels: internal combustion vehicles, fossil fuel suppliers like gas stations, as well as air and cruise holidays, World Without Fossil Ads (WWFA) says in a release.
“The Hague wants to be climate neutral by 2030. Then it is inappropriate to allow advertising for products from the fossil industry. Fortunately, the city council now recognizes this,” said Leonie Gerritsen, member of the Hague Party of the Animals, which led the initiative to use local ordinances to ban fossil ads from the streets of the capital of the Netherlands.
“The Hague’s groundbreaking fossil fuel ad ban isn’t just smart policy—it’s a lifeline for our planet and our patients,” family physician Dr. Melissa Lem, president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, told The Energy Mix. “By turning off big oil’s megaphone, we’re not only clearing the air, but we’re also clearing a path to a cleaner, healthier future.”
Three years in the making, the fossil advertising ordinance will have an immediate, noticeable impact on citizens. Ordinances are municipal legislation, usually called bylaws in Canada. Without a legislated ban, the approach most cities take is to pursue contracts with individual companies, so the ads disappear gradually over several years.
“With this new policy, all fossil ads will disappear at the same moment—a clear signal to the city and the companies,” Gerritsen said.
Having the ban so apparent on the street “does justice to the urgency of the climate crisis,” writes WWFA. It is also fair, creating “a level playing field” for advertisers.
“After the hottest summer on record and the huge, rapidly growing health and economic costs of air pollution from burning fossil fuels, this legal move is one of the easiest steps governments can take at the city and national level,” said Andrew Simms, author, analyst and co-director of the New Weather Institute, U.K., who is quoted on the WWFA website.
“Any sensible, responsible authority should follow The Hague’s initiative.”
The worldwide nature of this movement is apparent from other comments on the WWFA website, including this one from Australia: “Sixteen Australian councils, including Sydney, have voted for a range of restrictions on fossil fuel ads and sponsorships,” said Belinda Noble, founder of the Australian organization Comms Declare. “I hope this news will spark more to follow, here and across the global South.”
There is also action under consideration in Canada, Lem said.
“As doctors on the front lines of the climate crisis, we’re calling on cities worldwide to follow The Hague’s bold lead and help us write a prescription for a livable world,” she said. “It’s encouraging that Canadian cities like Ottawa and Toronto are considering steps in this direction.”
