Stratford protest group demands insurance companies drop fossil fuel projects

EXTINCTION Rebellion held a protest outside an insurance company’s office in Stratford on Saturday as part of a stand against firms “which continue to insure projects contributing to the climate emergency”.

A small group of activists gathered outside Howden Insurance, on the corner of Guild Street and Windsor Street, where they protested with placards. While the Stratford branch is not involved in the insurance of fossil fuel projects, Extinction Rebellion said, its parent company Howden Insurance Group is.

In a statement to the Herald, Extinction Rebellion said: “Insurers continue to provide services which allow fossil fuel companies to dig up more fossil fuels that cause extreme weather and flood our homes. Their strategy affects billions of people, including in the UK, increasing the risk of flooding, wildfires, food shortages and social unrest and collapse.”

They added: “Without insurance they can’t drill, mine, transport or refine. Many insurance firms are ready to move out of fossil fuels, they just need an encouraging nudge.”

Extinction Rebellion started a campaign focused on insurers in February, which last week included protests around the country as well as in London.

The Stratford group added: “By insuring fossil fuel projects, they are prioritising profit over the planet, risking our future. We call upon CEO, David Howden to follow the example of Zurich Insurance and to stop insuring all new oil, gas, coal and fossil fuel infrastructure projects.”

In a statement Howden said: “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.”