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Frequently asked questions

How can politicians learn more?

These toolkits have FAQs, legal information, explainer videos and social media resources.

How can residents learn more?

This toolkit has FAQs, legal information, explainer videos and social media resources.

How can I request an interview?

Media resources are here. Our media contact is [email protected]

Which jurisdictions have a Fossil Ad Ban?

As of November 2024, more than 40 jurisdictions around the world, including 17 in Australia, have voted for or restricted fossil fuel promotions.

AUSTRALIA

Blue Mountains
Byron Bay (has banned fossil fuel sponsorships)
Charles Sturt
Darebin
Fremantle
Glen Eira (has banned fossil fuel partnerships)
Inner West
Lane Cove
Maribyrnong
Merri-bek (has banned advertising and sponsorships on council property)
Mitcham (banned sponsorships and advertising)
Mosman (deferred)
Northern Beaches (rescinded)
Sydney
Waratah Wynyard (has banned fossil fuel sponsor signage)
Wingecarribee (has banned fossil fuel sponsorships)
Yarra (has banned advertising and sponsorships on council property)

OVERSEAS

Amersfoort – Netherlands
Amstelveen – Netherlands
Amsterdam – Netherlands
Basingstoke – United Kingdom
Bern – Switzerland
Bloemendaal – Netherlands
Cambridgeshire – United Kingdom
Coventry – United Kingdom
Deane Borough – United Kingdom
Eindhoven – Netherlands
Edinburgh – United Kingdom
Enschede – Netherlands
France – (Countrywide ban)
Groningen – Netherlands
Grenoble – France
Haarlem – Netherlands
Lancy – Switzerland
Leiden – Netherlands
Liverpool – United Kingdom
Lyon – France
North Holland – Netherlands
North Somerset – United Kingdom
Nijmegen – Netherlands
Norwich – United Kingdom
Sao Paulo – Brazil
Sheffield – United Kingdom
Somerset – United Kingdom
Stockholm – Sweden
Tilburg – Netherlands
Toronto – Canada
Utrecht – Netherlands
Vevey – Switzerland
Wageningen – Netherlands
Zwolle – Netherlands
The Hague – Netherlands

Why ban fossil fuel ads and sponsorships?

  • They increase demand for highly damaging products
  • They falsely portray companies and products as being clean and green
  • They tarnish our treasured cultural and sporting groups
  • They are used to maintain social licence for polluting industries
  • They have helped delay climate action for too long

The IPCC (ARG WG3) confirmed that marketing and lobbying by coal, oil and gas corporations is delaying emissions reduction and has largely set the public agenda about climate change in Australia.

We estimate the top five fossil fuel advertisers spent more than $230m on marketing in Australia in the 2020/21  financial year. This money continues to buy public support and shape the opinions of the media, politicians and public.

What is the aim of Fossil Ad Ban?

To achieve restrictions on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorships in Australia.
To mandate greenhouse pollution labels on promotions for carbon-intensive goods and services.

What ads and sponsorships do you want banned?

Coal, gas, and petroleum products.
Corporations that primarily produce fossil fuels.
Organisations that generate more than 20% revenue from fossil fuels.

What isn’t included?

We are not trying to stop people using legal products, we are just trying to stop the promotion of products that are damaging us.

What do you want greenhouse pollution labels on?

Consumer goods and services that have a disproportionate climate footprint, such as petrol, gas, SUVs, and airlines.

Will a Fossil Ad Ban really make any difference?

Advertising and marketing works, which is why the world’s biggest corporations invest so much and why tobacco ads and sponsorships are banned.

In 2021, $8.6 bn was spent on ads in Australia, with double digit growth forecast for 2022. Marketing companies have sophisticated targeting capabilities, and know everything from your favourite fashion labels to your hobbies and political leanings. This knowledge, marketing testing and psychology is used to gain support for polluting industries and products.

For example, in 2020 JWS Research won a marketing award for improving the Australian public’s favourability towards mining.

Academic evidence on tobacco advertising suggests that advertisers are major engineers of cultural change. The US Department of Health found that: “The total weight of evidence—from multiple types of studies, conducted by investigators from different disciplines, and using data from many countries—demonstrates a causal relationship between tobacco advertising and promotion and increased tobacco use.”

Aren’t advertisers just promoting choice?

Advertisers may argue that they are only trying to get more market share or are promoting choice. However, advertising also increases the size of an entire market by creating more consumers. For example, some gas companies are trying to get more households to connect to gas – not just change from one gas company to another.

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