After Florence, Genoa also says it is ready to take a new step on the ecological transition front. The City Council approved a motion presented by the Left Green Alliance which asks to introduce restrictions on advertising linked to fossil fuels in public city spaces, with particular attention to areas connected to local public transport.
The spaces chosen are above all bus stops, subway stations and advertising installations connected to urban mobility: places crossed every day by thousands of people, where commercial messages become part of the daily landscape.
At the moment there is not yet an operational regulation that automatically prohibits these advertising campaigns. However, the motion represents a precise political direction: it will now be up to the council to transform the vote into concrete measures, defining limits, possible bans and new rules for concessions and advertising contracts.
Which advertisements may be limited
The approved text speaks broadly about “fossil fuel-based products and services with a high carbon footprint”. There is not yet a definitive list, but it is clear that in the public debate reference is made above all to:
Much will depend on the technical definition chosen by the Municipality: a clear classification will also be fundamental to avoid possible appeals.
Genoa is the second largest Italian city after Florence
With this decision, Genoa becomes the second Italian city to officially move against fossil advertising in urban spaces. The first was Florence, which approved a similar measure in February.
The Genoese vote confirms that the issue is no longer an isolated case, but is entering the national debate on sustainable urban policies. Even if we are still far behind: internationally, more and more cities are questioning the promotion of highly polluting activities in public spaces. In 2024, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres called on governments to ban advertising from fossil fuel companies.
Even in Europe, attention is growing towards greenwashing and misleading environmental messages, while various local administrations are treating this issue as a matter of public health and climate coherence.
