15th May 2024: HXR NW take part in British Insurance Broker Association conference Manchester protest

On Weds 15th May, members of HXR NW joined a wide range of groups at the British Insurance Broker Association (BIBA) conference in Manchester, to demand that insurers act now to say no to new coal, oil and gas, and yes to clean energy. Insurers have a unique power to mitigate climate damage by stopping insuring and investing in dirty new fossil fuels and moving to support safe, renewable energy for all. However only some companies have made this move.

EACOP (East African crude Oil Pipeline) will emit 34 million tonnes of CO2 every year, and displace 100,000 people. It threatens to contaminate the water supply of over 40 million people. West Cumbria coalmine would add 220m tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere.

Other participants included local XR groups, Stop EACOP , Mothers Rebellion, Stop West Cumbria Coalmine, Insure Our Future, JSO, Money Rebellion, Global Justice Now, Friends of the Earth, Women’s Climate Strike, Fossil Free Greater Manchester, Tipping Point and Greenpeace.

The day included lots of outreach and leafletting, conversations, a fabulous Cumbrian climate choir, Discobediance, the grim reaper and the Red Rebels, testimonies from African women, a theatrical piece about the role of insurance companies in the breakdown of our climate and natural world, and a mother’s circle. www.stopeacop.net/ www.coalaction.org.uk/west-cumbria-mine/

Overall, the delegates (there were apparently 9000 of them present) were very supportive and appeared to be in agreement.