The city of The Hague in the Netherlands has made a far-reaching decision: From January 1, 2025, all advertising for conventional combustion engine cars will be banned. This is intended to promote the switch to more environmentally friendly alternatives and set an example for climate protection.
The Dutch environmental organization “Reclame Fossielvij” had campaigned for this ban in order to restrict the use of combustion engines and promote the switch to electric cars. However, car manufacturers are still allowed to advertise the quality of their brand, but no longer explicitly for combustion engines.
This step could trigger a chain reaction in other cities and countries. Cities such as Amsterdam, Zwolle, Tilburg and even Toronto are already discussing similar advertising bans. The introduction of such a regulation is also being discussed in Graz, Austria.
Can such measures really have the desired effect? A national advertising ban on fossil fuels in France has already been circumvented because companies have found ways to get around the regulation. Perhaps The Hague can learn from the mistakes of other countries and calculate in advance how effective the ban will actually be.
Is a ban on advertising combustion engines the right step? Can it slow down climate change and improve air quality in cities? One thing is clear, however: cities and countries must take measures to reduce the use of environmentally harmful substances and gases and promote the switch to cleaner alternatives in a way that everyone can afford.