The Climate Question Why are some cities banning fossil fuel ads?
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Apr 5, 2026 Anna Holligan, BBC correspondent in The Hague reporting on Dutch policy and local implementation, explains how Netherlands cities are restricting ads for flights, petrol cars, gas heating and even meat. She outlines what the bans actually remove, legal challenges that upheld them, and how ads shift online while setting a precedent for other places.
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UN Call Sparked Global Debate Over Fossil Fuel Ads
- The UN Secretary-General urged countries to ban fossil fuel advertising to tackle climate change and shape public norms.
- Marco Silva noted the speech had no legal force but served as a high-profile call that prompted industry pushback and debate.
The Hague Stripped Fossil Fuel Ads From Public Spaces
- The Hague removed billboards, tram and bus-stop posters for flights, petrol/diesel/hybrid cars and gas contracts from public spaces.
- Anna Holligan said shops can still advertise and online ads remain, so visibility shifted rather than vanished.
Banning Billboards Changes What Cities Treat As Normal
- Removing outdoor fossil fuel ads challenges the moral legitimacy and normalisation of these products in public spaces.
- Anna Holligan compared it to early tobacco restrictions that shifted what cities presented as normal to citizens.