Amsterdam will be the first capital city in the world to ban meat and fossil fuel advertising

The Amsterdam City Council approved a municipal ordinance banning advertising for fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal), meat and "highly polluting" services, such as air travel, cruises and cars with combustion engines. The measure will come into force on May 1, 2026, and will make it the first capital city to implement such a ban comprehensively.

According to a report from the city, the ban will apply to public spaces under municipal control, including streets, subway and train stations, bus shelters and street furniture. The stated aim is to "reduce the promotion of activities that contribute to the climate crisis and negative impacts on animal health and welfare."

The ninth municipality in the Netherlands to incorporate a ban on such advertising

With this decision, Amsterdam becomes the ninth municipality in the Netherlands to incorporate a ban on fossil fuel advertising into its legal framework. The ordinance builds on a judicial ruling handed down in 2025 by Dutch courts, which established that municipalities have the power to ban advertisements deemed harmful to public health and the climate.

The Amsterdam City Council recalled that already in 2020 the city had passed a motion to stop accepting fossil fuel advertising when renewing contracts with advertising companies. However, because many of those contracts are for 10 years or more, the ads continued to be visible. The new vote introduces an explicit and definitive ban, which will allow for the removal of the remaining advertising as of May 2026.