How to ban fossil ads through the local ordinance?

In the discussion about banning fossil ads, many city boards choose to engage in conversations with advertising operators or waiting till current contracts end and include a restriction for fossil ads in the tender demands for the new contract. However, advertising operators often draft contracts that last for 10 years. That is why a change in the local ordinance or law is preferred.

Engaging in conversations is not the way, as the advertising operators simply say no. There's worldwide just one exception; in Amsterdam, one of the advertising operators did say yes, but on its own conditions. These conditions allow for companies like Shell and Exxon to greenwash their image, unfortunately.

Wait for the contract to end and include fossil ads in the blacklist of the new tender, also has limitations. In the Dutch city of Utrecht, fossil ads were excluded in the tender for the contract for the new A0-posters. Although this ad ban is in effect now, there are still lots of other advertising operators, whose contracts are still running for the next couple of years. Those operators can (and pobably will) show fossil ads.

The best way and the most quick way to ban fossil ads in municipalities, is to change the local ordinance. That way, the fossil ad ban can be in effect 'the next day' and will cover all advertising operators in the whole municipality.

A ban via the local ordinance (APV) has advantages for municipalities and residents (compared to amending contracts):

• the ban can take effect immediately (as opposed to waiting for often very long-running contracts to expire)
• the ban applies to all advertising throughout the city (as opposed to advertising operators dealing one by one when their contracts expire)
• there are no structural costs for the municipality (as opposed to fines if contracts are broken)
• for residents, the ban is actually visible in the street. This does justice to the urgency of the climate crisis (as opposed to waiting for the last contract to expire - often after 2028)
• for advertising operators, it creates a level playing field (as opposed to the party with the longest contract is still allowed to advertise polluting products)

Example of a proposal to change the local ordinance (for fossil ads and meat ads)

• Model proposal with text to ban fossil ads through the ordinance
• Initiative proposal to ban ads for fossil fuel products, fossil fuel industry and meat products in the local law of The Hague (unofficial translation of passed local law change proposal. Read more on The Hague here.)