Climate Change? Not with my money
Friends of the Earth Netherlands starts consumer campaign
Amsterdam, 9 June 2007 – Investments by Dutch banks cause more than three times the CO2 emissions that the Netherlands emits annually. The banks invest over twenty times more in projects that harm the climate such as oil extraction and coal-fired plants, than in projects for climate friendly renewable energy. ABN AMRO is the worst performing Dutch bank with the biggest climate impact. These are the findings of a Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) report published today. With the slogan “Climate Change? Not with my money!”, the environmental organisation is calling on consumers to switch to a climate friendly bank.
Milieudefensie has launched the website, www.nietmetmijngeld.nl ('not with my money'), calling for climate conscious banking. “Banks have an enormous climate impact. Their investments in fossil fuels cause 594 million tonnes of greenhouse gas CO2 emissions. This is more than three times the amount that the Netherlands emits in a year, “ says Donald Pols of Friends of the Earth Netherlands. “The 6.9 billion euros that banks invest in renewable energy are peanuts compared to the 118 billion euros that they invest in fossil fuels.” The banks are not very open about the impact of their investments on the climate. Milieudefensie's report is the first overview to date comparing these investments.
Customers can reduce their CO2 substantially by choosing a climate conscious bank. “For example, an ABN AMRO customer who transfers 2,000 euros from their savings account to the Rabobank, reduces just as much CO2 as they would by replacing all their incandescent light bulbs with energy saving ones. If they were to transfer 10,000 euros from the ABN AMRO to the Triodos Bank or the ASN Bank they would save as much CO2 as not driving their car for half a year.
On the website, consumers can check the amount of CO2 emissions a bank causes with their savings. Customers can send an e-mail to their bank or order an infopack on how to switch to a climate conscious bank. “We hope large numbers of consumers and organisations will join in this action”, says Pols.
ASN Bank and Triodos Bank are the most climate friendly banks in the Netherlands. “Other banks should follow their example and reduce their investments in dirty fossil fuels. We must invest more in energy efficiency and renewables,” adds Donald Pols.
He concludes: “It is all hands on deck to save the climate now. Influential actors like banks have a special responsibility to take action and start investing in solutions to climate change.”
Milieudefensie Press Office + 31 (0)20 5507 333
Donald Pols + 31 (0)6 20801096
Download the report 'Investing in Climate Change, Dutch Banks Compared 2007' (PDF)
Appendices Figure 1 - Climate Performance Index 2007
