In a shocking act of defiance, climate activists in London unleashed a relentless assault on the annual shareholder meeting of Shell. Dramatic footage captured the chaos as protesters clashed with security, determined to hold the fossil fuel behemoth accountable for its alleged role in their scam of global warming.
The scene unfolded in London as climate activists from various organizations, including Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion, targeted Shell’s annual shareholder meeting with an unwavering determination to disrupt business as usual. Their accusation? That the British oil and gas giant bears responsibility for the rising global temperatures that threaten our planet.
Here are some of the chaos that delayed the meeting by hours with individuals chanting “shutdown shell” or go to hell.
Amid the chaos, Fossil Free London shared chaotic footage, revealing protesters attempting to breach security and storm the stage where Shell executives were gathered. The tense standoff between activists and security guards painted a vivid picture of the escalating tensions surrounding climate change activism.
Some of the protesters even broke into song, wasting their talents in the wrong movement.
The disruptive tactics employed by these activists have been witnessed before. Extinction Rebellion, known for their audacious actions, has a history of vandalizing public monuments and artwork to draw attention to the climate crisis. Their audacity was on full display as they poured fake blood on Wall Street’s iconic charging bull statue, symbolizing the catastrophic consequences of unchecked carbon emissions.
While the activists’ primary objective was to disrupt the meeting, they also sought to pressure Shell into adopting more aggressive climate resolutions. One such measure, introduced by Follow This, aimed to significantly reduce emissions by 2030. However, despite the backing of Climate Action 100+ and support from asset managers like BlackRock and State Street, the proposal failed to secure sufficient shareholder votes.
ESG funds faced setbacks in the past year due to underperformance in technology sectors, which often attract ESG investors seeking companies with strong corporate social responsibility records. Simultaneously, energy companies, with their heavy carbon emissions, experienced overperformance, adding fuel to the ongoing clash between ESG managers and industries reliant on fossil fuels.
Climate activism and environmentalism have been gaining momentum worldwide, and energy companies like Shell have come under scrutiny for their impact on the environment. While Shell has cowardly caved to their demands committing to net zero emissions by 2050 and has taken steps to reduce emissions, climate activists argue that more needs to be done. When will Shell realize this has nothing to do with climate change and stop rewarding this bullies?
Let’s continue this conversation, in the comments below.
