[25bb007275] Petition academics fossil fuel ad ban

Petition: Bans on fossil fuel advertisements in public spaces are sound policy Bans on fossil fuel advertisements de-normalise fossil fuel use without limiting the freedom of citizens to make their own consumption decisions. These bans are urgently needed. A large body of academics therefore supports the following statements: 1​

Bans on fossil fuel advertisements in public spaces, defined as “advertising about fossil fuel products and services, holidays involving air travel, flight tickets, fossil electricity contracts, cruise travel, or cars with a fossil or hybrid engine”, are fully aligned with the recommendations of four different, renowned scientific bodies in the Netherlands: the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure, the Scientific Climate Council, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, and TNO. Each of them independently advised the Government of the Netherlands to implement a ban on advertisements for carbon-intensive products.

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Fossil fuel advertisements block the transition to a sustainable society; a ban on fossil fuel advertisements stimulates sustainability transitions. A council of 12 social scientists and ethicists reached this conclusion in independent advice to the House of Representatives of the Netherlands:

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Banning fossil fuel advertisements is lawful under Dutch and European Law, International law experts concluded.

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Banning fossil fuel advertisements through local legislation is possible and legal and more and more Dutch municipalities are taking this step. Travel Industry Association ANVR and tour operator TUI sued The Hague in 2024 as it was the first municipality to take this step. The court ruled on 25 April 2025 that municipalities may ban fossil fuel advertisements. Utrecht, Delft, Nijmegen, Leiden, Zwolle and Deventer have since followed The Hague’s example, adopting resolutions towards a legal ban.

These statements are supported by the following, largely Netherlands-based, academics: Dr Marjan Smeulders, Radboud University, microbiology; Prof. dr. Geert-Jan Kroes, Leiden University, Chemistry; Dr Marion I. van den Heuvel, Tilburg University, Social Sciences; Associate Professor Paul Raekstad, University of Amsterdam, Political Science; Dr Maien Sachisthal, UvA Environmental Psychology; Dr Sascha Heckert, Amsterdam UMC, Medicine; Dr Juliette Alenda, Radboud University, Political economy; Inge Schrijver, Universiteit Leiden, Ecological economics; Dr Like Fokkens, Wageningen University & Research, Evolutionary Biology; ir. Rutger Schilpzand, retired, human nutrition; Yannick van den Berg, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Law; Dr Gerben ter Riet, Hogeschool van Amsterdam & Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Epidemiology; Dr Lisa Eberhard, Utrecht University, Geosciences; Drs. Camiel Box, Erasmus MC, Epidemiology; Dr Loes Gerringa, Retired from NIOZ, Marine chemistry; Dr Vincent Wiegel, HAN UAS, Engineering; MSc. Rafael Pichler, TU Delft, Hydrogen combustion; Mr David Patterson, LLM, MSc Climate change, law and public health; Dr.

Ro Jefferson, Utrecht University, Theoretical Physics and Computer Science; Dr Frances Dunn, Utrecht University, Geoscience; PhD candidate Joshua Nooij, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Environmental Geography; MSc Floris, Leiden University, Chemistry; Dr John van

der Kamp, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Behavioural and movement sciences;Dr Jacqueline Hoppenreijs, Ruhr University Bochum, Ecology; Dr. Lourenco Tercio Lima Pereira, Delft University of Technology, Aerospace Engineering; Ms. Debra Solomon, PhD candidate and researcher, Multispecies Urbanism; Shivani Kaul, University of Amsterdam, Anthropology; Ir. Ronald Loeve, Climate resilient cities; Dr Disa Sauter, University of Amsterdam; Ir Gerda Lenselink, Strategische advisor, Water management; Msc Lian, Wageningen environmental research, Biodiversity & policy; Dr Christiaan Brinkerink, Radboud University, Astronomy; Dr. Dewi Le Bars, KNMI, Sea level; Dr. Vincent Perrot, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Environmental Chemistry; Prof.dr Maarten Kleinhans, Utrecht University, Geoscience; Dr. Stijn Neuteleers, Open Universiteit, Environmental Sciences; dr. Ottho Heldring, retired lecturer at Universiteit van Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, philosophy; Dr. Martijn Duineveld, Universitair Hoofddocent, Cultural Geography / Governance studies; Dr. Ceciel Nieuwenhout, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Energy law; ir. Cheryl van Adrichem, Wageningen University, Tourism and climate change; Evelyne Shamier, Universiteit Utrecht, Environmental Humanities; Prof. dr. Allard Mosk, Universiteit Utrecht, Natuurkunde; Dr.

Giulia Bongiorno, Wageningen University, Soil biology; Dr Roos van Oosten, Leiden University, Archaeology; Prof. Marijke Haverkorn, Radboud Uinversity, Astrophysics; Dr. Marthe Derkzen, Wageningen University & Research, Health and environment; Prof Arnoud Lagendijk, Radboud University, Human Geography; Dr Bahar Mehmani, Meta research; Professor Gerard Wiegers, University of Amsterdam, Study of Religion; prof. dr ir. Herman Russchenberg, Delft University of Technology, climate science; dr ir Jeroen Kluck, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Klimaatbestendige steden; Dr. Adele Tufford, Radboud University, Sustainability; Dr. Karen Fortuin, Wageningen University, Environmental Sciences; Dr Claudia Wieners, Utrecht University, Climate physics; MSc. Eva de Bock, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Gynaecology; PhD Fabiola Müller, Planetary health; Prof. Dr. Judith Daniels, University of Groningen, Social Sciences; MSc Wouter Bos, Nedap N.V., Computer Science; Dr. Sandra Niessen, Independent Researcher, Anthropology and Human Ecology; dr. Julian Vosseberg, Wageningen University & Research, Biology; Msc. Simone Burger, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Psychology; Prof. Dr. David Thieltges, NIOZ, Marine ecology; Dr.

Annick de Witt, Utrecht University, Sustainability transformations; Esmee Veenstra, Utrecht University, Social and Behavioural Sciences; Emiritus Professor Sustainable Transport and Tourism Paul Peeters, Guest scholar Wageningen University & Research, Aviation and climate change; Dr Auke Pols, Wageningen University & Research, Innovation Studies; Dr. Mathilde Hagens, Wageningen University & Research, Biogeochemistry; MSc of Sciences Dante Föllmi, Teacher-Researcher, Urban Climate Adaptation; Dr Alec Badenoch, Utrecht University, Media and Cultural Studies; Ms Connie, Student Planning; Dr. Merla Kubli, TU Delft, business dynamics of low-carbon innovations; Dr Le Bot Nils, TU Delft, Architecture & urban planning; Dr Ignas Heitkönig, Wageningen University, Ecology; Helena Russello, Wageningen University, Agricultural Biosystems Engineering; Prof. dr. Anna Watts, University of Amsterdam, Astrophysics; Dr. Peter van Thienen, KWR Water Research Institute, Water; dr Antoon Meesters, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, atmospheric science; Professor Patrik Zapata, University of Gothenburg, Public Administration; PhD candidate Pieter Hovenkamp, NIOZ, Sea research; Prof dr David van Leeuwen, Radboud University, Computing Science; PhD. Ernest Aigner, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Ecological Economics; Dr.

Melika Levelt, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Logistics, circular economy and sustaibable food systems; Prof. Edward Huijbens, Wageningen University, Tourism Geographies; Dr Clemens Kaupa, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Law; Dr. Madeleine Brouns, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Biomedical Sciences;

Dr Kasper Lange, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Circular Economy; Dr. Lucie Sovová, Wageningen University, Rural Sociology; Dr. Reint Jan Renes, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences; Dr Antonella Maiello, Leiden University, Sustainability; dr Barbara Kump, University of Twente, Business & Sustainability; Dr Ilja J. Kocken, University of Hawaii, Paleoclimate; Prof. dr. ir. Djoerd Hiemstra, Radboud University, Computer Science; Assistant Professor Yuri Engelhardt, University of Twente, Information Visualization; Angela Caredda, Leiden University, Environmental Science; Dr. Kleerekoper, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Urban Climate Adaptation; Dr Chizu Sato, Wageningen University, Cultural Geography; Lukas Junghanns, Aalto university, transportation & urban planning; MSc Ricarda Proppert, Leiden University, Clinical Psychology; Ms Sarita Mahtani, University of Groningen, Geography and Planning; dr. Michiel Helsen, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Glaciology & Climate Change; dr Charlotte de Vries, Universiteit Leiden, Environmental Biology; PhD Sociology Oriana Rainho Brás, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, Social Sciences, Environment and Health; Hannah, IBED, Ecology; Dr Jan Verkade, Hydrometeorology; Johanna Waldenberger, University of Amsterdam, Post-growth; prof.

Noelle Aarts, Radboud University, socio-ecological interactions; Dr Krispijn Faddegon, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Psychology for a sustainable city Initiators of this petition: Harald Buijtendijk and Eke Eijgelaar, Senior researchers tourism & climate change mitigation, Centre for Sustainability, Tourism and Transport, Breda University of Applied Sciences In March 2025, together with 18 other senior scientists and tourism experts – holding between them decades of experience researching tourism’s climate impact – they published an expert statement in support of the municipality of The Hague (the first city in the world banning fossil fuel advertisement through local legislation). The statement declares that a ban on advertisements for carbon intensive tourism products (aviation; cruises) is sound policy action, and firmly in line with the science on tourism’s climate impact. You can read the full statement here.