16 dec 2020 ・ reading time 2 minutes
We believe that advertisements for fossil products, such as those for cheap aeroplane tickets or companies working in the fossil industry, should be banned. Greenwashing for the fossil industry and advertisements for the most harmful fossil products cause significant social damage, more greenhouse gases, and they normalise the fossil sector. A ban on tobacco advertising is already in place because of the great social risks of smoking. Due to the disruption of climate, health, human rights and communities, an advertising ban for the fossil sector is just as necessary.
The citizens' initiative Reclame Fossielvrij (Fossil Free Advertising) aims to stop this kind of misleading advertising; they call it 'a blind spot in climate change policy'. The national government should enact a complete ban. But in our opinion, the city council can tackle the advertising providers in the city, such as JC Decaux. Our councillor Jasper Groen, together with the SP and DENK, submitted a motion on this subject during the yearly budget debate.