Netherlands, The Hague is the first city in the world to ban advertising of petrol cars (and all fossil fuels)

It is the first time that a city has responded to the UN's appeal.Guterres:«The Oil & Gas giants only want to hinder progress»

The Hague, Netherlands, has become the first city in the world to ban fossil fuel advertisements.Yesterday, Thursday 12 September, the city council approved a law that bans, starting from 1 January 2025, the promotion of fossil and highly polluting products and services, such as cruise ships, air travel, petrol cars and gas supplies .It is the first time that a city has responded to the heartfelt appeal launched last June by António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN.Oil & Gas companies, the head of the United Nations attacked, "are responsible for climate chaos but continue to accumulate record profits".For this reason, added Guterres, "all states should ban advertising by fossil fuel companies."

The primacy of the Netherlands

No government responded to the UN's appeal, but at a local level several cities have begun to move to adopt municipal laws and regulations.Zwolle and Tilburg, two more cities in the Netherlands, are in the process of banning advertising of products and services Oil&Gas through local measures.While other municipalities are opting for another method, namely the signing of contracts or voluntary agreements with operators in the sector.In the case of The Hague, the first city to approve a unique law of its kind, it was the Party for the Animals that proposed the initiative.«The Hague wants to be climate neutral by 2030.It is therefore inappropriate to allow advertising of fossil industry products.Fortunately, now the city council also recognizes this", declared Leonie Gerritsen, a local representative of the animal rights party.

The UN appeal

The message launched by Guterres in recent months essentially calls for introducing bans on advertising by fossil fuel companies, along the lines of what is already happening for the tobacco giants.According to the UN secretary general, this would not only prevent those mainly responsible for the climate crisis from polluting the public debate, but would also allow the ecological and energy transition to advance more quickly.“We must directly confront those in the fossil fuel industry who have demonstrated an unrelenting zeal in obstructing progress for decades,” Guterres said.And in fact there are associations and NGOs that have been asking for years to ban Oil & Gas companies from advertising to clean up their image.This is the case of Advertising Fossil Free, which comments on the local law approved in the Netherlands:«The Hague shows that it is possible to do this through a local law.This decision could have a snowball effect around the world."

On the cover:A coal-fired power plant (Dreamstime/VanderWolfImages)