The Hague fossil fuel advertising ban sparks hopes of ‘snowball’ effect globally

The city of The Hague in the Netherlands has banned fossil fuel advertising in a world-first which campaigners hope will have a ‘snowball’ effect around the world amid calls to enforce bans similar to those implemented for big tobacco.

The Hague’s Municipal Council approved a new law on September 13th banning all advertising of fossil fuel products and services including on billboards and bus shelters.

The new legislation will be effective from 1st January, 2025.

 The fact that The Hague has implemented the ban through local law marks a world first, experts say. “Implementing a fossil ad ban through the local law is unique in the world,” Femke Sleegers of Dutch-based environmental group Fossil Free Advertising, told Gas Outlook.

“In the Netherlands, three other cities are in the process of banning fossil ads through the local law, as it is the best solution, but they have not succeeded yet,” she explained.

“Several cities have utilised non-binding motions to address fossil fuel advertising, including Edinburgh” while “Amsterdam also attempted to restrict such ads through voluntary agreements with advertising operators.”

“While there aren’t specific examples of these motions being directly overturned, their non-binding nature inherently leaves them vulnerable to changes in political will or pressure from industry stakeholders.”

Moreover, “where banning fossil ads through contracts only applies to advertising operators that have a contract with the municipality, the ban through the local law applies to all advertising in the city” and “also on privately owned advertising spaces and on advertising space that is owned by regional governments, for example public transport.”

The secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterrez, called last June for a global ban on fossil fuel advertising to be implemented, similarly to what happened for big tobacco.

Snowball effect

Now, following the example of The Hague, similar laws might be enforced around the world, Sleegers anticipates.

“We certainly expect this ban to inspire other municipalities to do the same… Since the news broke, we got multiple messages from people all over the world that want to do the same as The Hague.”

“This can unleash a snowball effect, especially after the call by Guterrez to ban fossil ads worldwide.”

“We are surrounded by ads, in our streets, on our social media, in our newspapers, magazines and on television, and many of them are for air travel, cruises and polluting cars,” she continued.

“This is are very harmful, because fossil ads are in multiple ways speeding up the rapidly unfolding

climate crisis.”

“Fossil advertising adds substantial extra emissions in a time we need to cut down emissions fast and it prevents social norms from changing.”

“Fossil ads that we see repeatedly, each and every day are promoting fossil fuel consumption” thus “undermining climate policy to curb down fossil fuel consumption.”

“They also mislead people about the harm of fossil fuels and the urgency of the climate crisis,” Sleegers stressed.

“There is a lot of discussion and unclarity about the impacts of ads on sales,” Thijs Bouman, associate professor in social and environmental psychology at the University of Groningen, told Gas Outlook.

“Scientific evidence that ad investments increase sales is limited but this is also because such impacts are basically impossible to prove in practice” due to “too many external influences,” he said.

“Ad business logically claim that ads have impact, but these are likely biased.”

“I personally believe ads have an impact on sales, but even more on what we consider normal and acceptable, social norms.”

“ If you’re repeatedly presented with (ads for) fossil fuel products and services, it is easy to assume that these are normal, acceptable and just how the world works, making it less likely you will consider alternatives,” he explained.

“In other words, I think the biggest impact is on mindsets, which indirectly lead to consumption.”

Moving forward, The Hague’s example might push other local authorities to follow suit, “also depending on how this ban is received.”

“It already shows that such bans are legal and feasible, which is what has often been used as an argument to not implement them.”

“Moreover, there is quite some fear among politicians that these bans are too restrictive and patronising, which could be countered by how the ban is received.”

“Hence, I think that it certainly has potential to diffuse among other cities, regions and actors.”

Municipal bans

Currently, there are some 42 municipalities implementing some form of limitation to fossil fuel ads globally, of which 16 in the Netherlands, according to World Without Fossil Ads.

“The Netherlands is advanced because we started the first public campaign that aimed for a tobacco-style fossil ad ban,” Sleegers said.

Her group has been campaigning for a national law to ban fossil ads in the Netherlands since 2020.

Aside from the Netherlands, Australia, the UK and Scandinavia are the geographies where this debate is most advanced, she said.

“We expect that The Hague decision will inspire many municipalities worldwide…We’ve seen interest from some USA-municipalities as well.”

“Everybody understands that it makes no sense to put big effort into policy to reduce emissions, while allowing advertising to grow fossil fuel use and fossil fuel companies.”