Fossil fuel advertising ban
Paul Murphy urged support for a Bill to ban fossil fuel advertising, citing the UN Secretary-General's call for action. The Taoiseach said the Government supported climate action and would ask the Environment Minister to respond.
Last week the UN Secretary General called for a ban on fossil fuel advertising similar to the ban on tobacco advertising. António Guterres asked every country in the world to bring in this ban. He called fossil fuel companies the godfathers of climate chaos who rake in record profits while the most vulnerable are being left stranded. These fossil fuel companies are destroying our climate, just like the tobacco companies destroyed people's health. Last March People Before Profit introduced a Bill to ban fossil fuel advertising. This legislation has already been drafted and it could be supported by the Government tomorrow. Mr. Guterres said, "It's We the Peoples versus the polluters and the profiteers ... [and] it's time for leaders to decide whose side they're on". Which side is the Taoiseach on? We have a ban on tobacco advertising. Will the Taoiseach heed the call of the UN Secretary General and ban fossil fuel advertising?
Comment on this
I thank Deputy Murphy. We are clearly on the side of saving the planet. We are clearly on the side of reducing our emissions by 51% by 2030. We have a very ambitious climate action plan on this and a lot of work to do. We urgently need to move away from fossil fuels to renewable and sustainable energies. I will ask the Minister for the environment to share a view on the comments of the UN Secretary General.