By Smith Nwokocha
GRA Junction, Kilimanjaro Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on 29th February, 2024 by 10:00am WAT.
Local campaigners and community members, students, and group from Voice of the Vulnerable are protesting outside AIICO, AXA today, demanding that [AIICO, AXA Insurance take immediate action to slow the climate crisis and support the urgent transition from dangerous fossil fuels to clean energy.
This action is part of a Global Week of Action organised by the Insure Our Future network, running from 26th Feb – 3rdMarch. Grassroots groups and activists from across the world are coming together to demand action, with events taking place in Nigeria, the UK, USA, Japan, South Korea, Uganda, DRC, Switzerland, France, Peru, Colombia, Germany, and Czechia. Demands to the industry include immediately stopping insuring new fossil fuel projects, phasing out support for existing coal, oil and gas projects, respecting human rights and supporting a just transition.
2023 was the hottest year since records began, and extreme and violent weather events are increasing across every continent. Burning fossil fuels is the number one cause of the climate crisis, and fossil fuel projects – coal, gas and oil – cannot operate without insurance. This puts the insurance industry in a uniquely powerful position to have an impact on the future of our world.
We will be converging at GRA Junction by Kilimanjaro through Mummy B Road in the city of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria and we are taking this action, because of the impact of Climate change in our community, we experience blacksoot, suffocating heat, floods and it goes on, our communities deserve clean environment, and we all deserve healthy planet.
Smith Nwokocha, Project Lead, Voice of The Vulnerable and Coordinator Quest For Growth and Development Foundation and I am saying: “The insurance industry is meant to protect communities but instead it is deepening the crisis we face. AIICO, AXA Insurance are guaranteeing a future with more wildfires, floods, droughts and blacksoots if it continues to insure fossil fuels. Insurers have a choice – they can stop insuring dirty, planet-wrecking oil, gas and coal. We ask them to take action now to protect our children’s future, because later is too late.”
PHwakawaka 