NatWest’s AGM was adjourned for half an hour on Tuesday 28th April after people from Christian Climate Action, alongside other groups, disrupted it with a statement and singing. They were calling on the bank to stand by its climate commitments after it recently weakened its oil and gas policy. The AGM was being held at the Gogarburn Conference Centre outside Edinburgh.

The protesters read a statement demanding that Natwest stops funding death and destruction and sang a song calling for peace and a future for children. See video footage here.

Whilst the group was inside, other Christians gathered outside to pray with a banner that said ‘your greed is killing humanity’.

In February 2026, NatWest loosened its oil & gas policy, opening the door to finance more fossil fuel expansion by dropping a requirement for its clients to have a credible transition plan.  One of the bank’s major clients is BP – an oil and gas major which has abandoned its net-zero plans. NatWest also dropped some of its climate targets on aluminium, cement, iron and steel.

Dr Cath Dyer of Falkirk, one of those inside the AGM, said:

I am here because, as a Quaker, I believe in the sanctity of life. As a doctor I am committed to helping people live a full and healthy life. What NatWest is funding is against everything I stand for.

A Christian Climate Action spokesperson added:

NatWest does not seem to care about people or planet. It has backtracked on its oil and gas policy, opening the door to financing more fossil fuel expansion. No responsible bank should be backtracking in this way, because we have such a short window to avoid the worst possible outcomes of the climate crisis.

The Church of England has signed a statement, alongside 15 other organisations, calling for a meeting with the bank and investors to discuss its future direction on climate strategy within the next three months.