
Government Submissions
Submission – ACT School Sponsorship Policy
Dear Education Governance Comms Declare is a group of advertising and marketing professionals that aim to stop the promotion of climate pollution...
Submission – Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill...
Submission: Draft Environmental Claims Code
Introduction Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the Exposure Draft Environmental Claims Code. We note that the new Code is...
Submission: Fossil Fuel Advertising in the ACT
Thank you for the opportunity to write a submission on the Environment Protection (Fossil Fuel Company Advertising) Amendment Bill 2024...
Submission: Climate-related financial disclosures
Comms Declare supports the labelling of financial products but urges the Federal Government to go further and put eco labels on all carbon-intensive...
Submission: Duty of Care Bill
Comms Declare's submission to the Climate Change Amendment (Duty of Care and Intergenerational Climate Equity) Bill 2023 states: As the voice of...
Submission: Senate Greenwashing Inquiry
Comms Declare's submission to the federal inquiry into Greenwashing. Our primary recommendations are: * The introduction of new federal legislation...
Submission on Green Claims Code
Comms Declare has made an argument for stronger environmental guidelines to stamp out misleading green claims by advertisers. A review of the...
Submission to Adelaide’s Draft Climate Action Plan 2022-2025
I am writing as the founder of Comms Declare, an industry group representing more than 360 communications professionals and advertising agencies...
Submission to National EV Strategy
INTRODUCTIONTo reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions, Australians must embrace a wide range ofnew, sustainable behaviours.This is particularly the...
Research
The Astroturfing Election Report
Digital political advertising played a major role in the 2025 Australian FederalElection, with an estimated $49.5 million spent on Meta and Google platforms in justsix weeks. Energy policy was a...
Report – Financial implications of restricting outdoor advertising of fossil fuels
One of the main duties of governments is to protect communities from harm. Coal, oil and gas are responsible for 89% of climate pollution, heating the atmosphere and causing extreme floods,...
SUV ads undermine climate goals
Motorists deserve fuel efficiency data on car advertisements to save money and reduce pollution. The advertising of gas-guzzling SUVs jumped 29% from 2022 to 2023, while the federal government...
White paper: Fossil fuel advertising restrictions
Marque Lawyers discussion on how restricting fossil fuel advertising and sponsorships could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Australia....
New Report: Restrict advertising of oversized, polluting vehicles.
Reducing demand for the largest SUVs, Utes and American-style trucks would reduce air pollution, sickness and greenhouse gas emissions.
Fuelling Fantasies – First report into adland’s response to the climate emergency
The 250,000-strong Australian creative sector is protecting our biggest polluters and hindering climate action The growth of the advertising sector is now outpacing the economy overall, being...
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I be put on the Clean Directory?
Showcase your business and your values to others and help grow the economic power of clean communications.
Being listed starts with becoming a member of Comms Declare, which is free.
A listing on the Clean Directory is $599 per year plus GST, $299 per year plus GST for NFPs.
What work is against the rules for members?
Members declare that they will “decline future activities promoting fossil fuels”.
For brands, this means not hiring new agencies that have fossil fuel clients and telling their current agencies that they are not comfortable with fossil fuels.
For agencies and professional communicators, this means not promoting fossil fuel companies or products.
For media companies or content producers, this means not accepting sponsorships or advertising from fossil fuel companies.
A declaration is not about perfection, it’s a public statement that we must disentangle our economy, society and culture from the big climate polluters destroying the things we love.
How do you define a fossil fuel company?
Companies whose primary business is the extraction, processing, transportation, or sale of oil, gas, or coal
Utilities and companies that meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Generate 50% or more of their electricity from fossil fuels
- Generate 50% or more of their revenue from business in fossil fuels
- Play an active role in new fossil fuel infrastructure
Trade associations or other industry-funded nonprofit groups representing the interests of these companies, utilities, or cooperatives.
Any new entity meant to advance the message or goals of the above companies or groups, while obscuring or hiding their financial contributions.
We include hydrogen and any form of gas that mainly uses fossil fuels.
What happens after I become a member?
Members can display their membership badge, which lets everyone know they are ethical and responsible – and prioritise the climate in their work.
Members will be promoted on Comms Declare’s social channels. They are also official members of our association, which means they can vote at committee meetings and help steer our future direction.
What’s wrong with fossil fuels?
Fossil fuels have historically had benefits. However, we now have cheaper, cleaner forms of energy and must leave fossil fuels in the ground.
- In Australia, fossil fuelled-climate change is leading to more frequent and intense extreme weather events like heatwaves, bushfires and floods, posing risks to lives, property, and infrastructure.
- In our region, the burning of fossil fuels is driving a climate crisis that poses serious and existential threats to the Pacific Islands, threatening their people, cultures and very survival. Only by limiting the use of dirty, polluting fossil fuels can we limit these risks.
- Economic modelling shows climate damage will deliver a 14% annual hit to Australia’s economy, wiping out $6.8 trillion between now and 2050.
- Air pollution from burning fossil fuels contributes to the premature deaths of between 2,400-11,000 Australians every year, more than road accidents (1,123 in 2021).
- Air pollution from fossil fuels claims 8.7 million lives globally each year – more than tobacco.
Why should governments restrict fossil fuel advertising and sponsorships?
Advertising and sponsorships for coal, oil and gas;
- Increases pollution that damages our health and climate
- Delays cuts to climate pollution and energy diversification
- Leaves a damaging legacy for our treasured cultural and sporting groups
It’s not just us. The world climate authority, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that marketing and lobbying by coal, oil and gas corporations is delaying emissions reduction and has largely set the public agenda about climate change in Australia.
As the world’s third largest exporter of fossil fuels, with one of the highest pollution rates per person in the OECD, Australia has a particular duty to act.
Tell governments to ban fossil fuel marketing – fossil ad ban
Information for lawmakers – clean policies