A significant part of the fossil fuel industry’s soft power is advertising and sponsorships, where companies position themselves as part of Australia’s identity and essential to the economy. This advertising gives the industry undeserved social licence and further entrenches its damaging practices. Momentum has been growing both internationally and domestically against fossil fuel promotion, with secretary general of the United Nations António Guterres last month calling on all countries to ban advertising for coal, petroleum and gas companies.

2023 Groundswell grant winner Comms Declare is the only group in Australia solely dedicated to ending the social licence of fossil fuels and high emissions products, using trusted voices, powerful creative messages, and repetition, to make the promotion of fossil fuels as morally and socially offensive as tobacco advertising.

In this interview, we speak to Belinda Noble, Founder and President of Comms Declare about António Guterres’ call, the role of marketing in the climate crisis and her work on the Fossil Ad Ban campaign.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

I spent nearly 20 years in TV news as a reporter and supervising producer before moving into corporate communications — including as Head of Communications for Red Cross!

Having this deep understanding of the communications industry, I know the impact that fossil fuel advertising has. I founded Comms Declare in 2020 to promote climate action in the communications industries, then launched the Fossil Ad Ban campaign in 2022 to de-platform promotions for climate pollution.

In a recent speech, secretary general of the United Nations António Guterres called fossil fuels companies the “godfathers of climate chaos”. I couldn’t agree more, but I’m curious to know what you think he meant by that?

I love the colourful reference to the mafia, because that’s what the top fossil fuel companies are - an elite group causing death and chaos in the pursuit of unfair and massive profits.

Coal, petroleum and gas companies are creating the climate crisis - producing nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide pollution causing global warming. Worse still, they’ve done this in the full knowledge that their products are making the climate unstable and leading to human suffering.

*MasterChef Australia Renewable Gas Campaign*

*Australian Energy Producers Natural Gas Campaign*

What role do you think the marketing industry has in the climate crisis, and on the flip side, in solving the crisis?

For decades the communications or persuasion industries have been aiding and abetting fossil fuel companies, helping them deny and then delay any action that impacts coal, oil and gas profits. For example we know that PR companies have set up fake online community groups to give the false impression that fossil fuels have community support. Currently in Australia, marketing companies are helping the gas industry sell the false promise of “renewable gas” - setting up a “renewable gas” brand, running ads with vague green claims and sponsoring MasterChef, in order to protect the industry from renewables.

The communications industries are absolutely essential to maintaining the social licence of fossil fuel companies and that means they can also take that power away. Comms Declare was set up to encourage agencies to drop fossil fuel clients and to promote climate-friendly businesses and products.

The Fossil Ad Ban campaign goes a step further, demanding governments enact tobacco-style restrictions on coal, oil and gas products.

Taking on creative industries and government’s — incredible! Going back to Guterres, are there any countries that already have advertising restrictions in place?

France has banned the promotion of fossil fuel energies. Many cities and councils across the UK and Europe are not only stopping fossil fuel advertising but also the promotion of high carbon products such as flights and SUVs.

And what about Australia? Do we have any government imposed restrictions on fossil fuel advertising?

Australia has a proud legacy of being a world leader in banning tobacco advertising. We must now do the same with coal, petroleum and gas.

Any government that continues to allow fossil fuel advertising is putting industry profits ahead of our future, and any agency or media outlet that enables climate pollution is complicit in the destruction of a stable climate.

Sixteen Australian councils, including the City of Sydney, have voted to restrict fossil fuel ads and sponsorships on community land and we ask that others now follow, because stopping fossil fuels begins with stopping fossil fuel ads and sponsorships.

Follow the work of Comms declare