Extinction Rebellion calls out J.P. Morgan’s sponsoring of Docklands 5K as an exercise in image-laundering

The climate rebels embarrass the company by pointing out to event attendees the title sponsor’s status as #1 financier of fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement

Dublin docklands, 16th June 2023: Extinction Rebellion Ireland (XRI) activists made things uncomfortable for J.P. Morgan - title sponsor of the annual docklands 5K run - throughout yesterday evening’s event. About 20 activists wearing bibs saying “JP Morgan, Climate Chaos Champion” and “JP Morgan, Divest from Fossil Fuels" engaged with participants and onlookers about the sponsor’s status as the number one financier of fossil fuels since the signing of the Paris Agreement, with financing totalling $434.1 B from 2016 to 2022 and its huge investments ($17.9 B) in the top 12 major oil and gas expansion companies. Their large, colourful “J.P. Morgan - sponsoring 5Ks and Climate Chaos” banner drew a lot of attention from the runners as they waited for the race to kick off. The slogan contrasted the resources the company pumps into fossil fuels - the main source of the greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis - against sponsorship of a community event as an attempt to launder their image.

Taking care not to impede any runners, the activists handed out leaflets headed “J.P. Morgan sponsoring the escalating climate crisis”. They also chanted “J.P. Morgan pick a side - Divest now or ecocide”. Jeffrey Seathrún Sardina, PhD researcher, XRI activist who competed in the 5K said "Our demand that JP Morgan divest from fossil fuels is, at its core, an act of self-defence. All of nature is under threat, and every euro they put into dirty energy is another attack on the natural world. This needs to stop."

The latest (March 2023) United Nations IPCC report states that “Human-caused climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe” and that “Risks and projected adverse impacts and losses and damages from climate change escalate with every increment of global warming”. 

It states that greenhouse gas emissions from existing fossil fuel infrastructure is already more than enough to push the world beyond 1.5°C of global heating compared with pre-industrial times. This means that no more fossil fuel sources can be opened if we’re to avoid a significantly worsening climate crisis. 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”. 

Activists requested event-goers sign XRI’s petition calling on the Irish Funds Industry Association to expel J.P. Morgan and 13 other major global banks and asset management companies that are among the top funders of fossil fuels. These include Amundi, BlackRock, BNY Mellon, Invesco, LGIM, State Street, UBS, Vanguard, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Citi Bank and RBC.

All the proceeds from the event went to Crusaders Athletic Club. XRI will be communicating with the club to ask them to revise their sponsorship policy to exclude companies with ties to development of fossil fuels.  Semi-retired EFL teacher, Art Ó Laoghaire, currently on remand facing charges related to a climate protest in 2019 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?”

XRI’s Docklands 5K action follows protests earlier this year demanding divestment from fossil fuels at the Dublin offices of BlackRock, J.P. Morgan and Citi bank and at the Irish Funds Global Funds Investment Conference.

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XRI banner displayed as runners approach the finish line

As runners wait to get going, activist holds up “JP Morgan Sponsoring Climate Chaos” sign.

XR activist with her athlete cousin before the race

Getting ready for the 5K - with a message for J.P. Morgan!

“No 'Women in Tech' on a Dead Planet” - Extinction Rebellion Ireland disrupts J.P. Morgan networking event

Interrupting a Women in Technology event the activists underscored the bank’s hypocrisy in promoting equality while endangering billions of lives with their fossil fuel investments. 

Video of the protest available to download here

Dublin, 24th March 2023: Yesterday evening, five climate activists with Extinction Rebellion Ireland interrupted the proceedings of J.P. Morgan’s Women in Technology event in their offices at Sir John Rogerson's Quay to highlight the company’s guilt in escalating the climate crisis through J.P. Morgan Chase’s role as the world’s top banker in fossil fuels. They demanded that J.P. Morgan divest from all fossil fuel companies and declared that “There are no women in tech on a dead planet”.

With about 40 mostly young women in attendance and panelists seated on-stage ready for the panel discussion to begin, the five female activists seated around the room stood up in sequence, interrupting the host’s introduction. Each activist made a succinct speech, building the case for why attendees should reject J.P. Morgan as a potential employer. They described J.P. Morgan as “part of the machinery that is funding climate chaos and driving the destruction of our planet”, and emphasized the disproportionate effect of climate disasters on women. They also urged existing employees of the company to demand that their employer divest from all fossil fuel companies. 

After their speeches they chanted “J.P. Morgan pick a side, divest now or ecocide” and made their way to the front of the room where they displayed flags with the Extinction Rebellion logo and signs bearing “Women for Climate Action” and “J.P. Morgan Divest”. Eventually the organisers had no choice but to guide attendees out of the room, relocating the event upstairs. The activists remained to talk to staff about their responsibility in the company, before leaving peacefully.

This week saw the release of the 6th United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report (AR6) containing the stark warning that “There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all”. The AR6 Summary for Policymakers states “The choices and actions implemented in this decade will have impacts now and for thousands of years.” It adds that “public and private finance flows for fossil fuels are still greater than those for climate adaptation and mitigation”. 

One of the five activists, UCD student Sineaid Whelan, stated “The message from the world's climate scientists couldn’t be clearer. We must immediately slash emissions if we’re to avoid apocalyptic scenarios of climate catastrophe. With our outbursts at this J.P. Morgan event, we jolted the hosts and attendees out of business as usual. Every one of us can and must stand up to the forces of evil that are driving the climate crisis forward. And J.P. Morgan is one of those forces. More of us must demand that they divest from fossil fuel companies.”

According to the Banking on Climate Chaos 2022 report, J.P Morgan invested USD 382.4 billion in fossil fuels in the period 2016-2021, beating out the next biggest financier of fossil fuels by 35%. Their financing in that five year period included USD 225.71 million in the Adani Group which owns the Carmichael coal project - an enormous fossil fuel project violating Indigenous Rights in central Queensland in Australia. In that period they also financed Gazprom, the Russian majority state-owned energy corporation and fossil fuel giant Exxon Mobil Corporation to the tune of USD 4.6 billion and USD 15.3 billion respectively. 

Yet sustainability features prominently on J.P. Morgan’s website. Their stated sustainability commitments include a goal of “transitioning to a low-carbon economy”. However, the company increased their fossil financing by $10 billion between 2020 and 2021. In her speech at the event, Emer Connolly of Drumcondra highlighted the company’s greenwashing. In a statement she said “J.P. Morgan claim they’re taking climate action, but this is pure greenwashing because, of all the banks, they are by far the biggest funder of fossil fuels.“

Other activists at the event pointed out the double-standard of J.P. Morgan trying to attract women to the company, when women make up the majority of the world’s poor and are disproportionately impacted by climate change that is driven in large part by the company’s investments in fossil fuels. They also pointed out estimates that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women - which leads to violence, sexual violence & human trafficking.

Student Síofra Byrne, Dublin said “This is what we know. Fossil fuel emissions are causing climate change. Climate change is endangering the lives of billions of women. J.P. Morgan is funding those fossil fuels. And their answer is to hire more women? If you want the world to be a better place for women then stop setting it on fire.”