Towards a fossil ad ban in Stockholm?
Greenpeace activists handing out fake ‘fossil cigarettes’ to politicians in Stockholm.
By Anna Jonsson from New Weather Sweden
This is a story on the importance of precedents in achieving change and how the idea of a fossil ad ban came to the Swedish political agenda.
In January this year the Green Party in Stockholm stated that they would like to investigate the possibility of a fossil ad ban in Stockholm, inspired by the recent decision in Amsterdam to do so on its transport network. About a month later the Social Democratic party in Stockholm put forward a motion with a proposal for a fossil ad ban in Stockholm - in places where the city has oversight. References to Amsterdam were clearly made in both cases. The progressive newspaper ETC wrote articles about it. But apart from these, not a great deal was said about it.
One explanation of why nothing more happened at the time could be due to the complicated political situation in Stockholm. The Green Party is in a ruling majority within a right wing coalition. It is not difficult to see that political parties who often have private business interests as a key part of their political agenda are likely to be critical of a fossil ad ban and oppose it.The Social Democrats on the other hand - a party not traditionally associated with radical environmental policies - are in opposition, in a minority and have more freedom to manoeuvre politically - and have done so far by proposing a fossil ad ban. It is hard to know, however, how much they might fight for such a policy if they end up in a majority Government after next year's Swedish national elections, in September 2022.
The plan from City Hall was to handle the motion in the middle of October. Then came the European Citizens Initiative (ECI) against fossil advertising and sponsorship, a move to create European-wide momentum behind one common aim - a fossil ad ban across the European Union.
New Weather Sweden, told several politicians in City Hall that this campaign against fossil advertising was coming up, and that eyes from all over Europe were now directed towards Stockholm. Will the capital of Sweden - a country which positions itself as environmentally conscious - embrace or reject a fossil ad ban? In the beginning of October we and others raised this question in an opinion article in the biggest daily newspaper Aftonbladet in Sweden. The big right wing think tank Timbro responded and declared that, unsurprisingly, they do not like the idea of a fossil ad ban. Greenpeace’s local activist group in Stockholm went to City Hall and handed politicians fake “fossil” cigarettes (filled with a Greenpeace report highlighting that almost two thirds of fossil fuel ads are greenwashing) to demand a fossil ad ban similar to the one imposed on tobacco companies.
Greenpeace activists handing out fake ‘fossil cigarettes’ to politicians. Pictured here Sara Stenudd from the Left Party who is supportive of the fossil ad ban proposal.
The path that Stockholm takes will almost certainly influence others, much in the way that Amsterdam has and is still with regard to other cities. Without the decision on a fossil ad ban in Amsterdam it is most likely that the initiatives from the Green Party and the Social Democrats in Stockholm would have never happened. The importance of a brave and confident example is clear. Whether Stockholm will be one or not is still to be seen, but it is clear that it won't be easy. The question could be postponed until the elections due in September 2022.
The launch of the ECI has also influenced the national debate. The Left Party has now put forward a proposal for an investigation into a fossil ad ban in the parliament. Such a proposal was also briefly discussed at the Swedish Green Party’s congress recently - though without a clear outcome.
But the clearest evidence that the issue of banning fossil advertising is now on the political agenda is to be found outside political parties themselves. A few days after the launch of the ECI, the Swedish radio broadcaste a discussion on a fossil ad ban with a researcher and a right wing lead writer. Exactly the kind of broadcast that everyone listens to in the morning.
This story is ongoing and unresolved. But it is already clear that Amsterdam has influenced Stockholm, and that the European campaign on fossil ad ban has also, already made a difference. The other precedent from banning tobacco adverts is that you have to believe in the cause and keep adding pressure until you win...