Murphy calls for ban on fossil-fueled transport advertising

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has launched a bill in the Dáil that would ban the advertising of fossil fuel.

Titled the Prohibition of Fossil Fuel Advertising Bill 2024 in the Dáil, Murphy said the Bill was a response to last year’s COP-28 summit which he dubbed “a historic failure.”

“We need to take concrete steps towards fossil fuel phase out now if we are to have any hope of avoiding 2 degrees of global heating and  more; this Bill is a small contribution to that,” he said.

“Fossil fuels and the vehicles that use them are the primary cause of global heating and a myriad of other environmental and health problems. Extreme weather events like flooding, air pollution,and the deaths and chronic illnesses air pollution causes like COPD, heart disease and respiratory problems like asthma.”

The Dublin South-West TD said that transport currently accounts for 17% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the vast majority of coming from private fossil fuelled cars.

In 2023, the number of new fossil-fuelled cars increased by 10% to over 99,000 – which four times more new fossil-fuelled cars than new electric cars.”

“Our car-dependent and fossil fuel-dependent transport and heating systems are the reason Ireland has the highest rate of asthma in Europe,” he said.

Murphy drew comparisons between the fight to combat climate change to the fight to ban tobacco.

“The last time such a clear public health threat was so clearly associated with a particular, non-essential product was with tobacco. We banned tobacco advertising and sponsorship because of the clear link between smoking and illness, disease and death. It’s time to do the same with the advertising of fossil fuels, fossil-fuelled vehicles and flights.

“The Government’s climate action plans lack the radical ecosocialist measures that are needed to get to zero emissions fast. We need massive public investment in free and frequent public transport, shared mobility and active travel everywhere and free retrofitting to passive standard for all households that need it.”

“We need to move away from our current hellscape where advertising for the fossil fuels that are killing our planet is everywhere – on billboards, websites and TV. The car companies and the fossil fuel companies wouldn’t spend millions on advertising if it didn’t work. Just like the tobacco companies before them, they are making billions in profits out of killing us.”

He stated “we need to act now to stop the continued production and sale of fossil fuels and fossil fuelled vehicles.”