The Hague has become the first city in the world to pass a law banning ads promoting climate-damaging fossil fuel products and services, reports Guardian.
The law, passed last week, ends publicly and privately funded advertising of petrol and diesel, aviation and cruise ships on the streets of the Dutch city, including on billboards and bus shelters. The act will enter into force from the beginning of next year.
This is the first time a city has banned high-carbon advertising through local legislation. The decision comes after UN chief António Guterres called earlier this year for governments and the media to introduce such bans, as they had previously done with tobacco products.
Some cities have already tried to limit the reach of high-carbon products and services through council proposals or voluntary agreements with advertising operators. Edinburgh council agreed in May to ban ads for fossil fuel companies, airlines, airports, fossil fuel-powered cars, cruise ships and weapons in council-owned advertising space. Companies selling these products will no longer be able to sponsor events or other partnerships in the Scottish capital.
The Hague ban, which took two years to implement, is legally binding. It bans fossil fuel products and services with a high carbon footprint, but does not cover political advertising from the fossil fuel industry or ads that promote a generic brand.
Femke Slegers of the Dutch community group Reclame Fossielvrij, which helped promote the ban, said previous attempts to regulate fossil fuel advertising in the city had failed because operators refused to comply.
"The Hague shows the courage needed to tackle the climate crisis," she said.
Thies Bowman, associate professor of environmental psychology from Groningen, said fossil fuel advertising undermines climate policy because it normalizes and encourages unsustainable behavior.
"Major public investment is needed to counteract the negative effect of fossil fuel advertising. If fossil fuel advertising is banned, these resources can be put to better use, for example to strengthen sustainable options and facilities such as public transport," he explains.
A potential catalyst
The Hague legislation is seen as a potential catalyst for similar campaigns around the world, including Toronto in Canada and Graz in Austria. A local law has also been proposed in Amsterdam. The Dutch capital and the neighboring city of Haarlem have already imposed bans on products that contribute to climate destruction, including meat. However, these prohibitions have no legal force.
"More cities are willing to implement fossil fuel advertising bans by ordinance, but they've all been waiting for some other city to go first." The Hague is that city,” says Slegers.
http://www.turbulence.tech