Fossil fuel ad bans: protecting the public from corporate climate disinformation
High carbon ad bans are a critical step in catalysing public demand for climate action into meaningful, equitable, comprehensive and durable climate solutions.
New York, 23 September– A new CAAD briefing underscores the urgent need for fossil fuel ad bans, highlighting the industry’s decades-long campaign of misleading advertising and the growing global momentum to restrict such practices. Published during New York Climate Week 2024, “Fossil Fuel Ad Bans: Protecting the Public from Corporate Climate Disinformation” reveals the industry’s manipulative tactics and the imperative to protect public health and accelerate climate action.
Key Takeaways:
- A global consensus is emerging. Calls for fossil fuel ad bans are growing louder, from the UN Secretary-General to the IPCC. Public support is strong, and legal challenges are mounting.
- Over 50 cities and 10 countries are already taking action. Ad bans are a vital step towards dismantling the obstacles preventing a climate-safe future.
- By 2022, there were over 2,180 court cases against the fossil fuel industry, highlighting the growing legal pressure to hold polluters accountable.
- The creative industry is taking a stand. Campaigns like Clean Creatives are successfully persuading agencies and individuals to reject fossil fuel clients.
The movement to ban fossil fuel advertising is gaining momentum worldwide. France has taken a significant step by implementing a national ban on gasoline advertisements. Meanwhile, in the EU, legal experts argue that a 1989 directive against environmentally harmful ads could render misleading fossil fuel promotions illegal.
Constraining the fossil fuel industry’s ability to manipulate the public with money through advertising is a critical measure to protect the free speech of the scientists and advocates fighting for climate justice and facing backlash. “Fossil Fuel Ad Bans: Protecting the Public from Corporate Climate Disinformation” makes a compelling case for why such bans are essential to safeguard public health, advance climate action, and ensure a just transition to a sustainable future.
