More than 50 cities around the world have restricted or initiated plans to restrict fossil fuel advertisements, with places like Stockholm, Edinburgh, and Sydney banning them altogether.
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The Dutch capital of Amsterdam and the Italian of Florence have approved bans on fossil fuel advertisements, joining dozens of cities worldwide that have introduced restrictions on the promotion of polluting products.
Last month, Amsterdam’s city council passed a legally binding ban on ads for fossil fuels and meat products in a 27-17 vote, becoming the first capital city to fully prohibit such ads. The ban, set to kick in on May 1, spans high-carbon products and services like flights, petrol and diesel vehicles, gas heating contracts and meat products across all public spaces in the city, including on public transport.
On Tuesday, Florence followed suit, becaming the first Italian city to adopt a ban on fossil fuel advertising in public spaces in an 18-3 vote. “By approving this motion, Florence chooses to lead Italy in a necessary cultural and symbolic shift to address the climate crisis,” said Florence City Councilor Giovanni Graziani.
“We do not wish to judge or condemn individual choices, but rather to reduce collective exposure to fossil fuel-based consumption models that harm the environment and health. This is an act of responsibility toward our citizens and toward the commitments Florence has made to reach climate neutrality by 2030,” Graziani added.
To date, over 50 cities, mostly European, have either restricted such ads in specific areas or tabled motions to introduce formal limitations. Some – including several Dutch municipalities, Stockholm, Edinburgh and Sydney – have banned them altogether.
The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands, became the first city in the world to ban advertisements promoting high-carbon services such as cruise ships and air travel in 2024. Meanwhile, Spain could soon become the first country in the world to impose a nation-wide ban after the government; last year, the government approved a draft bill that would prohibit the advertising of fossil fuels, fossil-fuel-powered vehicles, and short-haul flights where more sustainable rail alternatives exist.
Winter Olympics Sponsorship Under Fire
The push for ad restrictions comes amid heightened scrutiny of “sportswashing” within the industry.
This week, the organizing committee of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, which begins in northern Italy tomorrow, faced criticism for selecting a fossil fuel company as a major sponsor.
In a video published on its YouTube channel, Greenpeace Italy urged the organizers of the event to end their “absurd” partnership with Italian oil and gas giant Eni – one of the world’s largest contributors to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. “Oil & gas like Eni drive the climate crisis, then sponsor the Winter Olympics & Paralympics to greenwash their image,” the environmental organization said.
Eni is not alone in this practice. A 2023 study by campaign group Badvertising and think-tank New Weather Sweden revealed how major polluters back snow sports despite being responsible for the industry’s collapse.
The study identified a total of 107 high-carbon sponsorship deals with skiing organisations, event organisers, teams, and individual athletes. 83 deals were led by car manufacturers, 54 of which involved German company Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. Fossil fuel companies signed 12 deals while airlines were behind five.
“Through their pollution, high-carbon sponsors of winter sports are melting the future of the very sports they sponsor. With their clean, healthy outdoor image, winter sports are especially attractive to sponsorship from major polluters who want to ‘sportwash’ their image,” the report read.
‘Shameless Greenwashing’
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has previously called on countries to ban fossil fuel advertising in the same way they restricted tobacco. “Many in the fossil fuel industry have shamelessly greenwashed, even as they have sought to delay climate action – with lobbying, legal threats, and massive ad campaigns. They have been aided and abetted by advertising and PR companies – Mad Men fuelling the madness,” Guterres said in a speech in 2024.
The UN chief said advertising and PR agencies, as well as news media and tech companies, are enabling planetary destruction and urged them to stop promoting fossil fuels and drop existing clients.
“Banning fossil fuel advertising and forcing the PR sector to cut ties with systemically polluting companies is a clear necessity for building a cleaner and fairer future,” ClientEarth Lawyer Johnny White said in response to Guterres’ call. “We can either have a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, or we can have fossil fuel industry influence continuing to permeate our societies and subvert climate action. We can’t have both.”
Featured image: Rainforest Action Network/Flickr.
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