03 November 2022

Climate activists stage protest at bank in echo of Cop26

03 November 2022

Climate activists are protesting outside a bank where they demonstrated every day during Cop26 a year ago.

Four Extinction Rebellion Scotland (XR) activists locked themselves to an oil barrel with “JP Morgan” written on it at the main entrance to the bank’s offices in Waterloo Street, Glasgow, on Thursday morning.

Gravestones with the words “Cop26 Failed” and “Cop27 Futile” were placed on the pavement and activists hung up banners reading “JP Morgan – World’s Dirtiest Bank” and “Greenwash won’t wash”.

During the Cop26 climate change talks which took place in Glasgow last November, Extinction Rebellion protested every day at JP Morgan’s offices in the city.

The action on Thursday took place ahead of the Cop27 talks that start in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on Sunday.

XR Scotland claims JP Morgan is funding the climate crisis.

Gary Jack, from XR Highlands and Islands, said: “Even JP Morgan’s own economists reported in February 2020 that the climate crisis threatens the survival of humanity and yet they are still actively promoting continued investments in fossil fuels.”

The activists are also taking action to highlight what they say is the “failure” of the Cop process.

Valerie King from XR Stirling said: “Cop27 will be a failure just like Cop26.

“Emissions are rising so much that it’s predicted that instead of a 1.5C increase in global heating, we are on a path to over 2.5C.

“Parts of the world are turning into unliveable disaster zones.”

JP Morgan declined to comment.

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