The climate rebels embarrass the Company and the Club by highlighting the title sponsor’s status as world’s #1 financier of fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement
Photo by Alessandro Summer
Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin, 11th July 2024, 7:45pm As about 2,000 runners assembled, awaiting the start of the Docklands 5k, a group of Extinction Rebellion Ireland (XRI) activists with banners and flags, drummed and gave speeches, drawing their attention to the fact that the race’s main sponsor is the world’s number one financier of fossil fuels since the signing of the 2015 Paris Agreement and urged them to contact race organisers - Crusaders Athletic Club - to tell them not to take sponsorship from JP Morgan in the future. The activists pointed out the irony that, due to sea-level rise caused by the climate crisis, the course of the race is likely to be under water within the lifetime of many of the runners.
The activists held a large banner emblazoned “J.P. Morgan – sponsoring Crusaders AC’s 5K & Climate Chaos” with an image of Beckett Bridge and runners being submerged in rising water. One speech referred to the fact that access to Crusaders' home stadium in low-lying Ringsend is likely to be under water within a few decades. A three-metre-high scythe-wielding, skull-headed “climate reaper” puppet covered in the logos of fossil fuel companies that JP Morgan has financed, symbolised the death and destruction caused by the climate chaos that JP Morgan is funding. The reaper danced to the beat of the drumming. Other activists wearing bibs saying “JP Morgan, Climate Chaos Champion” and “JP Morgan Divest from Fossil Fuels" handed out leaflets headed “JP Morgan and Crusaders AC - an unholy alliance”, and spoke with runners and onlookers about the sponsor’s status as the number one financier of fossil fuels since the signing of the Paris Agreement, with fossil fuel financing totalling $430.9 B from 2016 to 2023.
Photo by Alessandro Summer
JP Morgan also ranks worst among banks committing financing to companies with fossil fuel expansion plans. Earlier this year, JP Morgan announced that they would leave the Equator Principles, which set minimum standards on risks to the environment and local communities in countries where they finance oil, gas, coal, infrastructure, and mining projects.
Photo by Alessandro Summer
XRI’s Trisha Kiersey, a grandmother from Shankill said “I do not think it is appropriate for a leading Dublin athletics club to accept sponsorship from a climate laggard such as JP Morgan. With the rising profile of Irish athletics on the European and world stage, I’m sure there are other more suitable sponsors out there who would be willing to lend their name to the Docklands 5K in the future.”
Photo by Alessandro Summer
The 2023 IPCC synthesis report states that no more fossil fuel sources can be opened if we’re to avoid a significantly worsening climate crisis. It states that three billion people live in areas that are “highly vulnerable” to climate breakdown and half of the global population now experiences severe water scarcity for at least part of the year. It warns that in many areas, “we are already reaching the limit to which we can adapt to such severe changes”.
Photo by Alessandro Summer
The activists accused Crusaders AC of “sportwashing” JP Morgan’s public image. “JP Morgan sends billions of dollars to fossil fuel companies each year, causing massive environmental problems, and they think they can counteract all the bad publicity by giving a few thousand here and there to sports groups like Crusaders” said activist Sean Loughran of Balgriffin.
Photo by Alessandro Summer
XRI wrote to Crusaders last year asking them to revise their sponsorship policy to exclude companies with ties to the development of fossil fuels but did not receive a reply. Activist Angela Deegan from Drumcondra, said, “I ask Crusaders to think, in the future, do they want to be part of the solution to the crisis or part of greenwashing the problem. And with the climate crisis escalating, how long before it gets too hot for athletes to compete in these 5Ks?”
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