The momentum for Fossil Ad Bans is growing, with Bills for national bans being introduced in Canada and Ireland parliaments.
Ireland
Ireland’s bill proposes to ban all fossil fuel advertising and sponsorships, as well as advertising and sponsorships for fossil-fuelled cars and airlines.
Transport currently accounts for 17% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the vast majority of coming from private fossil fuelled cars.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy introduced the Bill, saying “Fossil fuels and the vehicles that use them are the primary cause of global heating and a myriad of other environmental and health problems. Extreme weather events like flooding, air pollution, and the deaths and chronic illnesses air pollution causes like COPD, heart disease and respiratory problems like asthma.”
Canada
The bill in Canada comes after the country’s worst ever fire season in 2023. It says…
4 The purpose of this Act is to provide a legislative response to a national public health and environmental problem of substantial and pressing concern and, in particular,
(a) to protect the health of Canadians in light of conclusive evidence implicating the burning of fossil fuels in numerous adverse health effects, including fatalities;
(b) to protect the environment in light of conclusive evidence implicating the burning of fossil fuels in the climate emergency, which is causing harm to ecosystems as well as numerous debilitating and fatal diseases in humans;
(c) to prevent the public from being deceived or misled with respect to the environmental and health hazards of using fossil fuels; and
(d) to enhance public awareness of those hazards.
The Federal New Democrats spokesperson Charlie Angus said, Canada’s oil industry is shifting its propaganda strategy by promoting its products as clean and claiming they can be part of the climate solution.
“That’s like Benson and Hedges telling you that they can help end lung cancer… This is because big oil has always relied on the big tobacco playbook of delay and disinformation.”
