Singing activists disrupt NatWest meeting over ‘climate backtracking’

Singing climate activists disrupt NatWest shareholder meeting in Edinburgh, forcing brief adjournment over accusations of backtracking on green commitments. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Singing activists disrupt NatWest meeting over ‘climate backtracking’

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The chair of NatWest was forced to defend the bank against accusations of “climate backtracking” at a chaotic annual shareholder meeting in Edinburgh on Thursday, which was temporarily suspended after singing protesters interrupted proceedings. Rick Haythornthwaite, who chairs the board of the British lender, was in the midst of his opening remarks when a group of activists wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “No more big oil” burst into song, prompting the meeting to be adjourned for approximately 30 minutes. The disruption marked the latest in a series of shareholder protests targeting major financial institutions over their continued ties to the fossil fuel industry, as campaigners intensify pressure on banks to align their lending and investment practices with global climate goals. The protesters, who had secured entry to the annual general meeting as shareholders or guests, began singing shortly after Haythornthwaite took the stage at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. Their chants and slogans echoed through the hall, drowning out the chair’s speech and forcing security personnel to intervene. The meeting was temporarily halted while stewards escorted the demonstrators from the venue, though some remained and continued to voice their concerns. Upon resumption, Haythornthwaite addressed the disruption directly, stating that the bank takes its environmental responsibilities seriously but that such protests undermine the ability of shareholders to engage in constructive dialogue. He reiterated NatWest’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and defended the bank’s recent climate-related disclosures, which have drawn criticism from environmental groups for lacking concrete targets. The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of NatWest’s climate policies, particularly after the bank faced accusations of backtracking on earlier pledges to reduce financing for fossil fuel projects. Critics point to NatWest’s continued provision of loans and advisory services to oil and gas companies, including those involved in new exploration and extraction activities, as evidence of a gap between its stated ambitions and actual practices. The bank...

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Categoria: cronaca