Edinburgh City Council will no longer approve sponsorship opportunities or advertising on its assets if they promote ‘high carbon’ products.
The local authority said there was a contradiction between its declaration of a climate emergency and the advertising of environmentally damaging goods and services in the city.
An amended policy means it will no longer allow promotion of airlines and airports, fossil fuel companies, cars (unless they are electric or hydrogen and not sports utility vehicles), and cruise holidays.
The amendments include no restrictions on food advertising, with the council noting that banning meat adverts would be ‘highly controversial’.
A council report says the new rules could result in reduced revenue of £200,000 a year from 2030.
But from its experience working with councils, campaign group Adfree Cities believes claims of reduced advertising contract value are ‘unevidenced’.
A counter-greenwash campaigner at Adfree Cities, James Ward, said the policy showed that ‘while national governments delay, local governments can act against the influence of polluting industries’.
Mr Ward said: ‘We would love to see other councils follow the lead of Edinburgh – and Sheffield, who passed a similar advertising policy in March – and to recognise that advertising and sponsorship is a powerful lever councils can pull to advance not only their climate goals but also their ambitions for public health, biodiversity and providing a high-quality public realm.’
