GLOBAL – Beginning today and lasting for three days people across Europe, from Spain to Switzerland, will take part in a series of more than 45 actions targeting financial institutions as part of a global protest known as Divest the Globe. These mobilisations are part of an ongoing indigenous-led divestment campaign, Mazaska Talks, and come as 92 of the world’s largest banks meet in Sao Paulo, Brazil to discuss risk management under the Equator Principles framework.
Many of these banks, including JP MorganChase, CitiBank, and Credit Agricole, are failing to manage environmental and societal risks by investing in risky new fossil fuel projects, like the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Investing in new dirty energy infrastructure, like TAP, threatens to exacerbate climate impacts and create stranded assets – now people across Europe, and around the world, are taking action to push these institutions to divest.
This is just the beginning.
What: Divest the Globe global protests
When: October 23-25, 2017
Where: Locations throughout the world
Hashtags: #DivestTheGlobe #NoTAP #MazaskaTalks
Livestream: https://www.facebook.com/MazaskaTalks
Quotes from organisers and activists:
“During Divest the Globe we and FossilFree.ch will be doing actions with an indigenous delegation in Zurich, Basel, Lausanne and Geneva. The Swiss banks have to pull out of Kinder Morgan, the Dakota Access Pipeline and all new fossil fuel projects,” Olivier De Marcellus, Breakfree Geneva.
“Banks don’t need fossil fuels to make a profit but the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, or TAP, and other unnecessary gas projects cannot go ahead without funding from banks. Organising to disrupt these flows of money is therefore one important way for the climate movement to stop new fossil fuel projects projects like TAP from going ahead,” Tim Ratcliffe, senior campaigner at 350.org.
“Until these banks start investing in the future of Mother Earth, we will bring attention to the injustice they contribute to and we will continue to use divestment as a tool to help end these atrocities,” Rachel Heaton, co-Founder of Mazaska Talks.
“Anyone with a brain, not to mention a conscience, should put their money in a bank that actually thinks the planet has a future, instead of one that scrambles for the shortest of short term gains at any cost,” Bill McKibben, Founder of 350.org.
“Holding big banks accountable by closing accounts is addressing a root cause of outdated and dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure development and egregious human rights violations,” Vanessa Green, Director of DivestInvest Individual.
Press contacts
Mark Raven (Communications, 350.org) [email protected], +90 5441 45425
Matt Remle (Co-Founder, Divest the Globe) [email protected], +1 206 6393610
Jackie Fielder (Organizer, Divest the Globe) [email protected], +1 562 3132324
Note to Editors
[1] For an overview about the struggle against the construction of the TAP in Southern Italy, see 350.org: Local residents in Salento resist mega-pipeline and Counter Balance: Italian communities block pipeline works to save ancient olive trees for a more detailed account.
[2] People across the world are invited to add their names to the open letter at 350.org/no-tap-letter
[3] For a complete overview of the public financing to the Southern Gas Corridor see here