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New Sheffield ad ban shows how councils can act on harmful advertising - Adfree Cities

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Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 3d

This success is part of a wider movement against sponsorship being used to normalise harmful industries.

Across the UK, cities are refusing to allow public space to be used to advertise products that damage public health. 7/8

Adverts for a wide range of polluting products and brands, including airlines, airports, fossil fuel-powered cars (including hybrids) and fossil fuel companies, will not be permitted on council-owned ...

adfreecities.org.uk

Museums Are in a High-Stakes Battle Over Corporate Sponsorship

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 3d

This move isn't anti-business as is often claimed.

It’s about drawing a line between philanthropy and propaganda - between genuine support for the arts and image-laundering by polluters and abusers. 6/8

Museums face growing pressure to reject controversial sponsors—but with public funding in decline, is ethical purity financially viable?

news.artnet.com

Culture clash: when the British Museum accepts funding from oil firms | Letters

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 3d

The Code connects the dots between climate, ethics, and labour rights - calling for decisions that reflect social and ecological responsibility.

Culture can’t claim to educate the public on the climate crisis while being funded by its architects. 5/8

Letters: Readers respond to an article by Charlotte Higgins about the management of the institution and sponsorship by BP

Museums defend BP sponsorship after firm abandons climate targets

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Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 3d

The tide has turned.

With pressure now coming from the top, the British Museum & Science Museum Group are isolated for continuing to take money from BP & Adani, companies funding fossil fuels and human rights abuses. 4/8

British Museum and Science Museum said BP’s decision to grow fossil fuel investment would not alter relationship

London’s Science Museum forced to cut ties with oil giant – and faces pressure over other sponsors

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 3d

But this didn’t happen overnight.

It’s the product of a decade of campaigning by artists, cultural workers, and activists who refused to let polluters clean up their image through culture sponsorship. 3/8

Campaigners welcome ‘seismic shift’ and urge museum bosses to review links with other fossil fuel sponsors

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 3d

For the first time, a cultural sector body has stated it plainly: organisations involved in environmental harm and human rights abuses are not welcome in the UK's galleries and museums. ✅ 2/8

Museums ratify new ethics code requiring ‘transition away’ from fossil fuel and rights abusing sponsors

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 3d

🚨 BREAKING: UK museums have voted to adopt a new Code of Ethics calling for a 'transition away' from fossil fuel and rights-abusing sponsors.

This marks a huge moment for the culture sector challenging harmful sponsorship.

Here's the story. 🧵 1/8

In a significant shift for the culture sector, museums and galleries in the UK this evening voted to adopt ambitious new ethics rules that call for the sector to ‘transition away’ from sponsorship …

cultureunstained.org

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Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 4d

✍️ If you are based in the UK and want to see your council follow in Stockholm's footsteps, join the campaign by writing to your local councillor. 👇 6/6

action.wearepossible.org/page/71823/a...

Ask your local council for a 'Low Carbon Advertising Policy'

Use this tool to write to your local councillor, asking them to adopt policies banning the use of high-carbon advertising, including for fuel-guzzling SUVs, on council-owned ad space.

action.wearepossible.org

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Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 4d

Momentum is building for a tobacco-style ban on high-carbon advertising.

Just this year, Chris Packham led a petition calling for such a ban that resulted in 100,000+ signatures and an unprecedented Parliamentary debate. 5/6

@chrisgpackham.bsky.social

Stockholm förbjuder fossil reklam – oppositionen kritisk - P4 Stockholm

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 4d

What makes Stockholm’s new ban so important is that it refuses to allow publicly-owned space to be used to promote harmful industries. 📺❌ 4/6

Stockholm förbjuder fossil reklam på stadens egna reklamplatser, enligt den nya budgeten från Socialdemokraterna, Miljöpartiet och Vänsterpartiet. Miljöpartiets ...

www.sverigesradio.se

Many cities are banning ads for airlines, SUVs and fossil fuels – and yours could be next

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 4d

And it's not just Sweden leading on tackling polluter ads.

In the UK, Edinburgh and Sheffield have notably banned polluter advertising, including fossil fuel companies, petrol/diesel cars, airlines, and cruise ships. 3/6

Billboard ads for airlines, SUVs and fossil fuel companies are now prohibited in cities like Edinburgh, Sheffield, Stockholm and Toronto.

theconversation.com

Stockholm region bans fossil fuel advertising — Badvertising

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 4d

⏪ The ban follows previous wins in Sweden.

Early last year, Stockholm region banned fossil fuel ads on public transport.

Gothenburg region then implemented a public transport advertising ban. 2/6

The region of Stockholm has adopted Sweden's, and Scandinavia's, first ban on fossil fuel advertising. From January 2026, residents of the capital and other municipalities in the most populated region...

www.badverts.org

Stockholm visar vägen med förbud mot fossilreklam — New Weather Sverige

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 4d

🚨 Campaign win! 🚨

The City of Stockholm has just voted to ban fossil fuel advertising on public ad spaces from summer 2026.

This is a landmark that adds momentum to the wave of local governments banning the promotion of polluting industries. 🧵 1/6

Stockholms stad meddelade den 8 oktober att ett förbud mot fossilreklam i staden införs från och med sommaren 2026.

www.newweather.se

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Reposted by Badvertising

Cool Down @cooldownnetwork.bsky.social · 5d

Sofie Junge Pedersen has built a career defined by purpose as much as performance.

Now the Danish international and Liga F midfielder has joined the Fossil Free Declaration, calling for an end to polluting sponsorship in sport.

Watch our latest interview with Sofie about the declaration. 👇

Sofie Junge Pedersen: Why I’ve joined the Fossil Free Declaration — Cool Down

As part of our Fossil Free Declaration series, Danish footballer Sofie Junge Pedersen reflects on the growing intersection between sport and sustainability. Drawing on her experiences across Europe’s ...

Wuhan Open: Emma Raducanu retires in first round against Ann Li

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Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 6d

🚨 Raducano forced to retire ill in Wuhan Open's first round amid extreme 34C humid heat.

And guess who is sponsoring the climate-vulnerable tournament?

Yup - that's right - Saudi Arabia's O̶i̶l̶ Public Investment Fund. 🛢️🫰

British number one Emma Raducanu looks devoid of energy and appears to struggle with the hot and humid conditions before retiring in China.

www.bbc.com

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Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 7d

While petrostates and polluting companies can use a booming industry like esports to normalise their harmful products, they will.

✍️ If you want to see sport and esport free from polluters, sign the Fossil Free Declaration. 6/6

The Fossil Free Declaration — Cool Down

Launched by the Cool Down - Sport For Climate Action Network, the Declaration is a pledge for sports organisations, athletes, and fans to demonstrate climate leadership by rejecting sponsorships and c...

e-Sportswashing: how big polluters are gaming a new sport sponsorship market — Cool Down

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Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 7d

But why is Saudi Arabia pumping so much oil money into esports?

To launder its reputation on the world stage.

For an authoritarian, fossil-fuelled superpower, it’s far better to be linked with Pikachu than with pollution.

Read our full report. 👇 5/6

Since just 2017, at least 33 polluting sponsorship deals have been struck between the global esports industry and high-carbon polluters. Of these, 27 have been deals with car manufacturers, five with ...

Saudi Investment Fund pays $3.5bn to capture Pokémon Go

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 7d

And it doesn't stop there.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia also bought the gaming division of Niantic - which included acquiring Pokemon Go - for $3.5bn. 4/6

It is amongst the highest-grossing mobile games in the world, with 30 million monthly players.

www.bbc.com

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 7d

Since publishing our report 'eSportswashing' last year, Saudi Arabia has pushed ahead with its takeover of the world of esports and gaming.

Most worryingly, the petrostate has brokered a 12 year deal with the International Olympic Committee to host the Olympic Esports Games. 🤨 3/6

Big polluters targeting esports industry with advertising deals, report reveals

Badvertising @badvertising.bsky.social · 7d

This is the largest leveraged buyout in history, funded primarily by borrowed money.

But the scale of the takeover reveals a concerning undercurrent: the flood of oil money into the world of esports and gaming. 🛢️🎮 2/6

Oil firms, petrostates, airlines and carmakers ‘doubling down’ on sector that is popular with young people