Activists Disrupt Finance Minister Meeting with Mass Noise Demonstration Calling for Quantum Leap in Climate Finance
Activism heats up during World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, October 23
Contact:
Denise Robbins, denise@glasgowactions.com, 608-320-6582
Washington, DC—Today, global activists carried out a noise demonstration outside of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as global finance ministers discussed climate finance inside during the "Finance Ministers for Climate Action" meeting. With noisemakers, drums, bullhorns, and more, they made it so the ministers cannot ignore calls for climate action. They also handed out chocolate coins to IMF meeting attendees on their way in urging people to pay up for climate finance.
HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE. FREE TO USE WITH ATTRIBUTION TO BRYAN DOZIER FOR GLASGOW ACTIONS TEAM
The group is calling on the World Bank Group and its shareholders to stop funding fossil fuels, break the cycle of debt distress, and massively increase funding for clean energy and justice.
Earlier this year, the United Nations climate chief warned that the World Bank must take a "quantum leap" on climate finance to help developing countries tackle the climate crisis this year. This year’s annual meetings will be an important opportunity for the Bank to commit massive new funding as a leadup to the UN climate conference later this year, dubbed the “finance COP,” where nations are expected to dramatically increase contributions to global climate finance.
By the end of the year, the United Nations plans to determine a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) to improve on the previously passed $100 billion to be sent in climate finance to developing countries. Activists criticize this amount as not nearly enough; the costs of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton together cost about $100 billion alone.
The world is watching this week's meetings, which will influence NCQG and other important climate finance discussions later this year.
Note: “World Bank Action Day” coming up on Friday, October 25, 12:00 PM noon. Dozens of organizations will rally and march outside the World Bank, beginning at Edward Murrow Park, calling for just, clean energy for a livable planet. Learn more: https://worldbankactionday.org/
Note: “World Bank Action Day” coming up on Friday, October 25, 12:00 PM noon. Dozens of organizations will rally and march outside the World Bank, beginning at Edward Murrow Park, calling for just, clean energy for a livable planet. Learn more: https://worldbankactionday.org/
About the Glasgow Actions Team:
Formed before the UN Climate Conference in 2021, the Glasgow Actions Team is committed to pushing the world's climate champions to go farther, calling out the blockers, and exposing the deniers. Throughout the 2024 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group they'll be running extremely mediagenic actions calling on the World Bank to get in line with the Paris Climate Goals — to stop funding fossil fuels, invest in renewables, relieve debt, and become a more transparent and democratic institution.
Preview past actions from Glasgow Actions Team here.
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