Betrayed by politicians, take to the streets and hit the fossil banks where it hurts

Today Joe Biden approved the Willow Arctic Oil project in Alaska. It’s an outrage. An act of utter political cowardice. And it destroys any hope Biden had of achieving his promises to stop fossil fuel extraction on public lands, or cut global warming pollution 50% by 2030. But this is not the end of the fight to #StopWillow, or to stop climate chaos.

First of all, on Willow, allies are following the lead of local, frontline, and indigenous communities denouncing Biden’s decision, and promising to continue to fight the project in court, in Alaska, and anywhere else. It’s not too late to call the White House at 202-456-1111 Tuesday – Thursday 11am – 3pm ET | 8am-12noon PT – and give them a piece of your mind. Second, just like any other fossil fuel project, getting the permits is just one step in the process. Willow hasn’t been built yet, and there’s still time to make sure it never is.

But since we’ve been betrayed by politicians like Biden, we do need to change tactics: Specifically we need to get off social media (where more than 600 million actions and calls to #StopWillow were not enough) and get into the streets, and we need to go after fossil fuel projects like Willow where they’re vulnerable – not with politicians, but with financiers.

Yup, you guessed it – we’re inviting you, again, to join us on 3.21.23 to take action in the streets and in real life. You can cut up your cards and bank statements with fossil banks if that works for you. Or you can join in action and solidarity with thousands of consumers and citizens regardless of your financial status. If you’re new to the story, RSVP here to join our webinar tomorrow, one week before the big day of action, and get all the details and info you need.

Back to the Willow project for a moment: ConocoPhillips, the oil company behind Willow, has borrowed $11.6 Billion dollars from the same big fossil banks we’re protesting on the 21st — and that’s just since 2015. Why that year? That’s the year that the Paris climate agreement was signed, and all the fossil banks promised to stop lending to projects that are incompatible with the global treaty (and President Biden’s broken promise) to cap global warming pollution at 1.5 degrees celsius.

This is why investors including the biggest public pension and retirement funds are being asked to support multiple shareholder resolutions this spring calling for clear targets and accountability on climate, Indigenous rights and more. Investors are demanding answers about the fossil banks’ climate-denying investments in Willow. And we’re calling out their greenwashing by claiming to support climate action and the Paris Agreement, even as they continue to lend money to ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and the rest.

But you don’t have to have a pension, 401k, or a dollar saved in a retirement account to take action with us to hold the fossil banks accountable. (Though if you do have money invested with a fossil bank, sign here to pledge to move your money) If enough of us take action —and if we show we’re willing to cut up our cards and bank statements and shut down business as usual by taking to the streets — we can create a crisis of finance for fossil fuel projects like Willow.

If you haven’t already. sign the petition to demand that State Treasurers and public pensions vote YES on critical climate justice and Indigenous rights resolutions this spring. Then, sign up to take action with us on March 21 and show the banks that we mean business! And if you need more information or assistance before you take action, sign up here to join our hype call webinar tomorrow night.