Climate activists interrupted JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon on Saturday to make a clear demand: “Stop funding climate change!”
Dimon was the key speaker at a morning session of the National Governors Association’s annual winter meeting, taking place in Washington, D.C. The session was held to “offer governors unique insights into the intersection of public policy and the modern economy.”
As Dimon was speaking, activists affiliated with Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and the D.C. chapter of 350.org rose to ask, “How is [climate change] not one of your policy priorities?” and repeatedly said, “Jamie Dimon, stop funding climate change!”
Dimon continued to talk over the activists, who stood and held a banner reading, “Chase: Stop profiting off dirty energy and rights abuses.” RAN posted video of the disruption, which also shows the protesters being led away by security:
Things got awkward at @jpmorgan CEO Jamie Dimon’s @NatlGovsAssoc address when @RAN and @350_DC activists demanded that @Chase STOP FUNDING #CLIMATECHANGE.
RT to make it known that Chase is the top US funder of fossil fuels. #wethestates #actonclimate https://t.co/YauKXyLPlo pic.twitter.com/q5MpmjJ5dh
— RAN (@RAN) February 23, 2019
A report out last year from RAN accused the financial giant of being “the top U.S. funder of extreme fossil fuels,” citing its financing of tar sands projects, ultra-deepwater oil, Arctic oil, coal power, and LNG exports.
“We want Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, to hear us loud and clear: funding climate change is not what leadership looks like,” said RAN researcher Grant Marr in a prepared statement. “As the top Wall Street funder of tar sands pipelines and other fossil fuel projects, Chase should be held responsible for driving us toward climate crisis.”