Hundreds of activists shut in the Finance Ministers from EU Member States

On Tuesday 10 March hundreds of Greenpeace activists from across Europe blocked the exits of the building where Finance Ministers from EU Member States were discussing funding for developing nations to tackle climate change. The activists sealed the building and refused to let the politicians leave until they committed to ‘Save the Climate’ and ‘Bail out the Planet’. Of course the police were quick in responding, very quick in fact, and after two hours all activists had been removed and 357 had been arrested. Security was high, not only because it was a Ministers meeting, but also because US Vice President Biden was to join the Ministers for lunch. All arrested were released later in the day.

In all 20 offices sent activists and campaigners (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, UK) and EDs from Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and Nordic also participated.

Unfortunately, the Finance Ministers were very week in their recommendations to EU leaders. Although they recognized the need for funds from rich countries, including the EU, to go to developing nations they did not propose concrete public financial support for climate action and instead made an empty promise for investments from the private sector, which they can neither predict nor control.

En lista över utvalda Greenpeaceaktioner relaterade till klimatmötet hittar du här.