# Climate activists take aim at Barclays, StanChart shareholder meetings
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-05-04
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Climate Activists Disrupt Barclays and Standard Chartered
Meta Description: Climate activists disrupt Barclays and Standard Chartered shareholder meetings in London and Manchester, calling for an end to support for Big Coal.
URL: https://financedigest.com/climate-activists-take-aim-at-barclays-stanchart-shareholder-meetingshtml

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By Lawrence White and Iain Withers

[LONDON/MANCHESTER](https://www.financedigest.com/london-listed-spac-moves-closer-to-launch-of-lloyds-insurance-vehicle.html) (Reuters) -Climate activists and other disgruntled investors glued themselves to chairs, set off alarms and chanted slogans at shareholder meetings hosted by [Barclays](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-barclays-to-sell-german-consumer-finance-business.html) and Standard Chartered on Wednesday.

Displaying anger over lenders’ financial support for Big Coal, protesters also repeatedly interrupted Barclays Chairman Nigel Higgins as he tried to get the meeting there underway.

Stop the greenwashing, take it off the table,” a man who did not give his name said, before being escorted out of the meeting being held in the [northern English city](https://www.financedigest.com/4-for-the-price-of-1-what-you-can-buy-in-the-uks-top-northern-cities-for-the-price-of-a-london-pad.html "4 for the price of 1: What you can buy in the UK’s top northern cities for the price of a London pad") of Manchester to reflect [Barclays’](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-barclays-to-sell-german-consumer-finance-business.html) increased focus on regional lending.

Your [climate policy is not worth](https://www.financedigest.com/cop26-coalition-worth-130-trillion-vows-to-put-climate-at-heart-of-finance.html "COP26 coalition worth 0 trillion vows to put climate at heart of finance") the paper it’s written on,” a female protester shouted after gluing her hand to her chair.

A team of staff used solvents, tissues and cotton balls to free the hand of the protester, who later identified herself as Zoe, 51, a shareholder and mother.

Protesters at times wept, shook their heads, swore and shouted “you’re lying!” at the board, as Higgins attempted to defend the [bank’s policies](https://www.financedigest.com/what-to-make-of-the-headlines-brexit-and-bank-of-england-policy-eba-bank-stress-tests.html "What to make of the headlines? Brexit and Bank of England policy, EBA bank stress tests").

Many of the companies that are involved in [fossil fuels](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-approves-effective-ban-on-new-fossil-fuel-cars-from-2035.html "EU approves effective ban on new fossil fuel cars from 2035") today are making the transition journey – clearly in the opinion of many, not to the degree and the speed that one would like,” Higgins said.

But we’re going to have much more influence [banking those companies](https://www.financedigest.com/why-its-essential-banks-start-thinking-like-tech-companies-not-just-fintechs.html "Why it’s essential banks start thinking like tech companies – not just fintechs") on the transition journey, rather than just abandoning them.

Meanwhile, climate activists wearing masks of the faces of [StanChart CEO](https://www.financedigest.com/stanchart-ceo-says-at1-bond-wipeout-has-profound-impact.html "StanChart CEO says AT1 bond wipeout has profound impact") Bill Winters and Chairman Jose Vinals adorned with devil horns at the company’s meeting in [London](https://www.financedigest.com/london-listed-spac-moves-closer-to-launch-of-lloyds-insurance-vehicle.html) were heard chanting, “Life on Earth before your profit, Standard Chartered, please just stop it.

We agree on the urgency of [fighting climate](https://www.financedigest.com/inflation-fighting-central-bankers-air-climate-role-doubts.html "Inflation fighting central bankers air climate role doubts") change, it is critical for the planet, and people,” Vinals told the event, adding the bank was working with clients to improve their green credentials.

[Banks like Barclays and StanChart](https://www.financedigest.com/first-abu-dhabi-bank-could-renew-35-billion-offer-for-stanchart-bloomberg-news.html "First Abu Dhabi Bank could renew billion offer for StanChart -Bloomberg News") have committed to cutting lending to companies linked to fossil fuels, with a view to achieving net zero carbon targets in the coming decades.

But campaigners have criticised their efforts and called for tougher stances on financing of coal [production and so-called dirty energy](https://www.financedigest.com/energy-crisis-an-existential-threat-to-eu-metal-production-eurometaux.html "Energy crisis an ‘existential threat’ to EU metal production -Eurometaux"), which continue to threaten targets to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial norms by 2050.

(Writing by Sinead Cruise; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Bill Berkrot)


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