Yesterday, activists brought climate breakdown to the doorstep of the European Central Bank (ECB). Oh, and they also brought flamethrowers 👀🔥

Financial institutions like the ECB have a huge responsibility to act if we are to avoid disastrous levels of warming. To really bring this home, climate justice activists from the Frankfurt-based Koala Kollektiv brought a giant glacier to the front of the bank and melted it with flamethrowers.

And before you ask: yes, there are pictures 👇

Amazing photos from the @KoalaKollektiv action outside @ecb HQ demanding an End to Fossil Finance 🔥🔥🔥 pics here: https://t.co/62DPFZbPZf

PR: https://t.co/MC3Rj3HIRO@reuterspictures@AP_Images@PAPictureDesk@WELT_picdesk@guardianphotos@dpa pic.twitter.com/vtkgMpmyG1

— 350.org Europe (@350Europe) February 16, 2021

For almost a year, we’ve worked with climate organisations and activists all over Europe to make sure the European Central Bank’s (ECB) Covid recovery funding does not fuel the climate crisis. Hundreds of thousands of us have signed a petition demanding that the bank fund people, not polluters. We’ve sent videos and surveys and letters to the bank all asking them to just do one thing: Stop funding the fossil fuel companies that are causing the climate crisis.

 

Tell the ECB to stop funding climate criminals!

 

So far, the ECB has promised they’ll “explore every avenue” in the fight to prevent climate breakdown but is still on track to pour 5 trillion euros into the economy over the next two years. And there are no conditions in place to prevent the world’s worst polluters accessing this finance. 38 fossil fuel companies have already benefited from the bank in this way, including Shell and Total who are responsible for some of Africa and Latin America’s most polluting and destructive oil, coal and gas projects. [1]

“Time is of the essence. We are racing toward humanitarian catastrophes. Yet instead of decisively turning the wheel, the European Central Bank is convening a team to report back in three years on whether to change course.” – Koala Kollektiv

Alongside the flamethrower action, the Koala Kollektiv published an open letter to the European Central Bank, demanding compliance with the Paris Agreement. [2] The letter was co-signed by 20 organisations, including 350.org, and individuals including Bill McKibben, Luisa Neubauer, Carola Rackete and George Monbiot.

[1] Reclaim Finance

[2] Koala Kollektiv