World Without Fossil Ads
28 September | 6-9 PM | Urania
Photography by Sanjin Kaštelan | Design concept by Joost de Haas, adapted for the Haiku Dialogues with permission
Why We Need This Dialogue
In a historic speech on 5 June 2024, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on countries to ban fossil fuel advertising, advertising companies to drop fossil fuel clients, and media to stop taking fossil fuel ads.
But what counts as fossil fuel advertising?
A definition tested in a Dutch court describes fossil fuel advertising as: “Commercial advertising that is clearly intended to promote the following products and/or services: fossil fuels, flying holidays, airline tickets, gas contracts, grey electricity contracts, cruises and/or vehicles with a fuel engine.”
From One City to a Global Movement
Amsterdam became the first city in the world to ban fossil fuel advertising in 2020 through contracts. In 2026, it went a step further, turning the ban into local law and extending it to meat advertising.
Since then, more than 50 cities and regions worldwide have taken action through local laws, advertising policies and public contracts, while some have gone even further by restricting commercial advertising altogether.
The movement is now reaching the national level. France voted for a national fossil advertising ban in 2021, set to come into effect in 2026; Ireland and Canada introduced legislative proposals in 2024; Spain’s parliament backed a draft ban in 2025; and Brazil introduced a national proposal in 2026.
First Voice of Haiku Dialogues
Rémi ter Haar
Legal Campaigner | Communication | Research | EU Climate Pact Ambassador | The Netherlands 
Rémi ter Haar is a legal campaigner at Fossil Free Advertising, responsible for the organisation’s legal cases and EU campaigns. With a background in International Environmental Law, she works to challenge the fossil fuel industry’s influence on society and political governance systems.
Rémi joined Fossil Free Advertising as a volunteer through Friends of the Earth’s youth climate internship programme. After spending time abroad for an EU internship in Luxembourg, she returned to Fossil Free Advertising.
Second Voice of Haiku Dialogues
Philosopher | Climate Campaigner | Co-author of Reklamemagt | DenmarkEsther Michelsen Kjeldahl
Esther is a co-author of Reklamemagt, a book
exploring the societal power of advertising and how the industry can obstruct climate action by creating social license for fossil fuel and other polluting industries.
She is a co-founder of Fossilfri Fremtid, a Danish climate justice movement campaigning to end oil and gas production in the Danish North Sea and to get Danish municipalities to ban fossil ads.
Since February 2026, she has worked as a freelance campaigner for Fossil Free Advertising.
Come with questions. Leave with new perspectives.
2026 Edition Partners
Bringing the Programme to Zagreb
European Climate Pact
The most important conversations are rarely the simplest ones. Fossil fuel advertising touches on climate, business, politics, individual choice. We need to create space for a conversations that are open, critical, and grounded in facts. I am grateful to our partners for recognising the value of that conversation and helping us make it possible.
Karla Andrić | Founder, Haiku Dialogues
How We Are Keeping the Event Lighter
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Urania is easily accessible by public transport, bike or on foot. The Kvaternikov trg tram stop is just steps away from the venue.
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All Haiku Dialogues event information is available digitally, so there’s no need to print your invitation or any event materials.
We also encourage our partners and guests to avoid printing promotional materials.
The only printed document at the event will be the European Climate Pact Privacy Statement, which attendees will be asked to sign in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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Tap water will be available at Urania throughout the event, reducing the need for single-use water bottles.