Letter to stop fossil fuel ads

A letter from health organizations representing over 700,000 Canadian health professionals urging the federal government to implement restrictions on fossil fuel advertising and marketing to address a public health crisis.

• The production and combustion of fossil fuels are identified as a national public health emergency in Canada, contributing to poor air quality and climate change. This results in up to 34,000 premature deaths annually, with impacts disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups including Indigenous peoples, low-income and racialized communities, children, the elderly, women, and people with disabilities.
• Fossil fuel advertising is described as counter-productive to climate goals because it creates demand for carbon-intensive goods. Specifically, up to 80% of car advertising in Canada promotes oversized vehicles, which emit approximately one-third more emissions than standard cars; this has contributed to SUVs making up more than three-quarters of new car purchases in Canada.
• The document asserts that fossil fuel and automotive industries use misinformation and 'greenwashing' to obstruct climate action. It notes that the Competition Bureau's guidance on misleading green claims is outdated and that misinformation from vested interests is a major barrier to effective climate action in Canada according to the IPCC.
• The authors highlight a failure to disclose health risks associated with fossil fuels, noting that children in homes with gas stoves face up to a 42% increased risk of asthma. They argue that the government should adopt tools used in tobacco control, such as comprehensive advertising bans and mandatory labelling.
• The health professionals call for three specific government actions: a comprehensive ban on advertising for fossil fuel industries, products, services, and internal combustion engine vehicles; a robust regulatory response to misleading environmental claims; and mandatory disclosure of health and environmental risks.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2022). Letter to stop fossil fuel ads. https://cape.ca/letter-to-stop-fossil-fuel-ads/

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Letter to stop fossil fuel ads. 2022. https://cape.ca/letter-to-stop-fossil-fuel-ads/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Letter to stop fossil fuel ads |date=8 June 2022 |url=https://cape.ca/letter-to-stop-fossil-fuel-ads/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2022letter, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Letter to stop fossil fuel ads}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://cape.ca/letter-to-stop-fossil-fuel-ads/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }