Australia’s major banks have been put on notice over the financing of coal-fired power stations after Greenpeace activists brought part of Sydney’s financial district to a standstill.
The organisation has warned of an escalating nationwide campaign of direct action aimed at the major banks unless a commitment is received to halt investment in new coal-fired power stations.
Greenpeace protesters Paul Grajewski and Sam Munn scaled 20-metre poles at Sydney’s Martin Place on Tuesday and unfurled a banner reading: ANZ Polluting Your World.
It claims ANZ is Australia’s “dirtiest bank” and the biggest financier of coal-fired power stations.
ANZ responded by saying it is starting to shift its investments towards renewable energy sources, but cannot “turn the lights off overnight”.
“It’s an evolution, not a revolution, and we cannot turn the lights off overnight,” an ANZ spokesman told AAP in an emailed statement.
While Greenpeace’s banner was unfurled right outside ANZ’s building in Martin Place, Greenpeace’s head of campaigns Stephen Campbell said the protest was also a warning shot to the other major banks.
Activists also scaled an ANZ building in Brisbane in October and have targeted branches, the organisation says.
“We’ve been communicating with ANZ for around a year, we’ve written reports which we’ve sent to them. They know very clearly what our asks are,” Mr Campbell told AAP.
“To date they haven’t done anything. That’s why at this point we need to escalate the campaign.
“So for the last month we were targeting ANZ HQ’s and ANZ branches.
“We’re saying to all the banks, `You need to commit to this as well.’”
Greenpeace wants more money invested in renewable energy sources.
The ANZ spokesman added, “We are starting to see a shift in our portfolio from coal to alternative sources, with renewable projects already representing one third of our project finance energy portfolio.
“While we continue to provide financial support to the coal industry, ANZ also actively supports the development of renewable energy projects.
