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02
Nov
Extinction Rebellion targets Harrogate insurer in protest against fossil fuels
Environmental activists today staged a funeral procession to protest against the Harrogate branch of an insurance firm supporting fossil fuels.
Members of pressure group Extinction Rebellion walked through Harrogate dressed in all black, holding banners reading ‘insure our survival’ and ‘stop flooding our homes’, before reaching Howden Insurance on Princes Street.
Protesters then handed a letter to a Howden staff member, urging the firm to stop insuring fossil fuel companies.
It comes after thousands of Extinction Rebellion activists carried out a week-long series of protests in February as part of its Insure our Survival campaign.
The organisation says it hands insurance bosses 'ultimatum letters' as part of the campaign, which call on the firms to withdraw financial backing from all new oil, gas and coal projects worldwide.
Anna Bryer, a member of Extinction Rebellion Harrogate, said:
Howden Insurance company are guilty of greenwashing.
They publicly announce their commitment to sustainability, while expanding parts of their business that insures fossil fuels. The consequence is that the continued digging and drilling for oil, gas and coal leads to huge carbon emissions that are wrecking the climate, causing floods, fires and devastating storms.
Without insurance, fossil fuel corporations will have to stop their planet-wrecking operations because they can’t afford the financial costs if something goes wrong.
The procession through Harrogate town centre.
Ms Bryer said the group “knows the insurance industry is listening” and demanded Howden dumps all new oil, gas and coal or “we’ll be back”.
North Yorkshire Council’s Arnold Warneken, a Green who represents Ouseburn, was also part of today’s protest.
He said:
All businesses have a responsibility to safeguard our planet for future generations, and currently the insurance industry is helping create the extreme weather that is flooding our homes, destroying our food supply and threatening to kill billions.
Without insurance the fossil fuel industry could not exist, which means that Howden's are as guilty as the oil and gas companies for fuelling climate change.
We’re here at Howden’s today because they are underwriting fossil fuel projects that are destroying all of our futures. We demand Howden and the entire insurance industry immediately stop insuring all new oil, gas and coal projects – and we’ll keep coming back until they do.
Howden ‘committed to net zero transition’
The Stray Ferret approached Howden Insurance about the protest.
A spokesperson said the company plays an active role in the transition to net zero, adding:
We are aware of protest action targeting a number of UK insurance companies this week. We have taken steps to ensure the security of our premises and the safety of our employees and visitors.
Howden is committed to playing an active role in the transition to net zero, and we believe that we can have more impact by working with clients to accelerate their decarbonisation than by disengaging from them.
We have invested significantly in developing the solutions and driving the change needed for our industry to play its crucial role in de-risking both the continued development of alternative energy sources and the decarbonisation of existing [ones].
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