Amsterdam becomes first capital to ban ads for meat and fossil fuel based travel

AI Summary

Amsterdam has made history by banning advertisements for meat and fossil fuel-based travel, earmarking a significant commitment towards public health and environmental sustainability. This decision has faced pushback from lobbyists yet is celebrated by advocates for climate action.

Advertisements for meat products and fossil fuel based industries such as airline and cruise ship travel will be banned in Amsterdam, in a move welcomed by public health experts and environmentalists.The measure, the first for any capital city, came into force on 1 May and applies to advertisements for companies such as KFC and Royal Caribbean appearing in public spaces such as billboards, buses, bus shelters, metro stations, trains, and trams.Anke Bakker, a city councillor with the political party the Party for the Animals, told The BMJ of the difficulties in passing the ban, even in a country committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and reducing meat consumption.“The meat industry sent a lobby letter to all the city councillors with unsubstantiated claims about how healthy meat actually is,” she said. “For us, it had long felt quite hypocritical to have all these environmental policies while still allowing public space...