Christians were amongst dozens of climate justice activists who disrupted the Energy Intelligence Forum, a high profile summit of fossil fuel companies, which was due to kick off at the Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane this morning. The road outside the hotel was blocked with a banner reading “Your greed is killing humanity” and a choir infiltrated the building singing protest songs.

Visitors to the swanky Intercontinental Hotel in Park Lane encountered a “Walk of Shame” with peaceful protesters holding placards including “Time to stop oil and money killing us” and “You knew, you lied, you made the climate crisis”

The event, previously known as “Oil & Money”, is hosting big names from the fossil fuel industry, including Shell CEO Ben van Beurden, Total CEO Patrick Pouyanné, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser and Liam Mallon of ExxonMobil.

For decades the major oil and gas companies, their financiers and enablers have known that fossil fuels are heating the atmosphere and destroying the planet.  Despite this knowledge, they continue with business as usual, delaying change to new, cleaner technologies and greenwashing their activities to further their profits.

Last year, the International Energy Agency warned that no new fossil fuel projects can be built if we are to limit global heating to 1.5C.

Val King from Christian Climate Action, said: 

“The greed of oil and gas companies is literally killing humanity, particularly the poor. They know it, the government knows it, but they are all hell-bent on pursuing their own financial and power-driven interests. It is hard to know how we as individuals can stop these huge fossil fuel corporations from continuing this path of destruction. It seems to me that all we can do is to pray and protest, pray some more and use our bodies in a non-violent way in order to sound the alarm to the rest of society, in the hope that an increasing number of people are listening and are willing to act.”

Ruth Jarman, 59, also from Climate Action, said:

“It is not right that the corporations and banks profiting from the destruction of life on earth are able to meet in luxury and comfort without being reminded of the horrific impact of their business practices. We will be praying against the greed and love of money that is at the root of these evil institutions and for their repentance.”

The protest included people from Christian Climate Action, Money Rebellion, Fossil Free London, Debt for Climate, Extinction Rebellion and XR Youth Cambridge

The protest was livestreamed and footage can be seen here. Fast forward to 9mins 40sec, 24mind 15 and 57min0sec to see footage of members of Christian Climate Action.