In June 2024, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a worldwide ban on fossil fuel advertising to save the climate (BBC). In the UK, a groundswell of local authorities are leapfrogging national government to end the influence of high carbon companies, taking action to protect health and the environment.
Low Carbon Advertising Policies present an opportunity for local authorities to further their policy priorities relating to air pollution, active travel, health, sustainability, climate change and resilient town planning.
Local authorities have control over the following areas:
Advertising billboards and screens located on council-owned land;
The council’s social media, websites, publications and any sponsorship arrangements;
Passenger Transport Executives (such as Transport for London, Transport for Greater Manchester, Merseytravel, etc) have control of advertising policies, and are accountable to local democratic bodies such as Mayor’s offices;
Planning consent for advertising infrastructure (e.g new digital billboards) and some advertising content.
A groundswell of councils in the UK are recognising the negative impacts that advertising can have on achieving greener places to live in.
Edinburgh City Council has banned advertising for fossil fuel companies, airlines, airports, fossil-powered cars, SUVs, cruise ships and arms manufacturers on council-owned advertising spaces. These companies will also no longer be able to sponsor events or other partnerships in Scotland’s capital city. Edinburgh Council noted that “the promotion of high-carbon products is incompatible with net zero objectives.”
Sheffield City Council has introduced a similar policy banning a wide range of polluting advertisements, with city councillors saying the policy would: “tackle some of the impacts of consumerism, advertising and injustice.”
Hackney Council in London advertising and sponsorship policy will not “promote goods or services that contradict the council’s Climate Action Plan, for example by encouraging the use of fossil fuels.”
Cambridgeshire County Council restricts advertising for fossil fuels and other environmentally-damaging products in its Advertising and Sponsorship Policy, updated December 2022.
Other councils that have introduced restrictions on advertising and sponsorship include:
Chester & Cheshire West Council (page3),
Medway Council (page7)
Norwich City Council passed a motion in July 2021 to implement an ethical advertising policy including restrictions on environmentally-damaging products, junk food, gambling and payday loan products. North Somerset Council passed a motion in July 2021 to restrict advertising for high carbon products. Norwich and North Somerset Councils are currently working up implementation strategies for these policies.
Outside the UK, councils in Sydney, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Gothenburg region have all implemented motions to end fossil advertising. The Hague, Haarlem and Utrecht muncipalities have all prohibited advertising for high carbon products using a local ordinance (bye law); covering not only council-controlled sites but all advertising sites in those cities.
France has passed national legislation prohibiting some adverts for fossil fuels as well - awaiting further implementation.
The Spanish government has voted in favor of a draft bill that will ban advertising of fossil fuels, short flights with more sustainable alternatives and of vehicles powered exclusively by fossil fuels. The bill, championed by the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs in an effort to protect consumers, also aims to reduce greenwashing claims in advertising and products with planned obsolescence.
Write to your local councillor
Ask your council to implement a Low Carbon Advertising Policy.
Toolkit for local policymakers
Our Toolkit for Local Policymakers provides background, case studies, details of what powers councils have relating to advertising, and Frequently Asked Questions.