11 MAY 2016

Peaceful climate protest in Wellington calls on ANZ to pull $13.5 billion out of fossil fuel projects

Peaceful protesters have scaled the outside of the Wellington branch of ANZ today and built a wall of coal blocking the branch entrance to draw attention to the bank’s heavy investments in climate-polluting fossil fuel projects. They are demanding that ANZ divest from the fossil fuel industry that is driving climate change.

Today’s protest is part of Break Free, a global wave of non-violent actions to keep coal, oil and gas in the ground and accelerate the just transition to 100% renewable energy. Actions are taking place across six continents between 4th and 15th May.

There are ghoulish fossil fuel spectres on the canopy above the entrance with a large banner calling on ANZ to divest from fossil fuels. The protesters are sitting with linked arms in front of the coal wall blocking people from entering the branch.

The ANZ Group have $13.5 billion invested in coal and gas projects. They are the largest lender to outdated fuel projects in Australia.

“The banks have an enormous influence over the future of our climate,” said Niamh O’Flynn, Executive Director of 350 Aotearoa.

“Fossil fuel companies are reliant on finance to make their projects happen. If bank executives chose to stop lending money to oil and gas projects, those projects would never get off the ground.”

Inspired by the peaceful civil-disobedience of Te Whiti o Rongomai, Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi and Rosa Parks, people across New Zealand are standing up for their right to a safe climate. They are demanding that The ANZ Group divest from fossil fuels and stop bankrolling the industry that is wrecking our chance at a good future.

“Instead of doing their part to meet the scientific reality of climate change, the major banks like ANZ are demanding that we adapt to an uninhabitable world,” O’Flynn added.

“It’s in our hands to close the gap between the world the banks are setting us up for and what science demands is necessary in order to protect our common home.”

This is the third of a string of protests around New Zealand. Over the last week 350 has held a beach party in an Auckland branch to highlight ANZ’s flippant response to climate change and peacefully blockaded and shut down the Riccarton branch in Christchurch for the day.

“As the largest bank in the Pacific Islands, ANZ has a responsibility to do its part to prevent further damage to the climate,” said O’Flynn.

“Each year, our Pacific neighbours are being hit by increasingly frequent and severe storms. ANZ has no right to bankroll the obliteration of entire nations of people for the sake of its short-term profits.”

ENDS

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