Despite Barclays’ recent attempts to appear to be tackling its fossil-fuel-finance problem – promising a ‘say on climate’ at its next AGM, and to update its targets and policies in advance of that – protests against the bank’s activities in this area show no signs of stopping. In February alone, over 30 separate protests around the country highlighted Barclays’ role in accelerating the climate crisis, some amplifying the #BetterWithoutBarclays campaign message over a sustained period, such as the week-long Sheffield intervention.
In addition to protests outside Barclays branches and corresponding newspaper reports, activists outside HMRC in Newcastle garnered ITV coverage, while local press featured a double-page call on Sheffield Council to cut ties with the bank, echoing a precedent set in the ‘80s when local authorities shunned Barclays.
Having recently reported record results, Barclays will need to change its fossil fuel policies quickly and drastically to avoid the reputational damage of the profit-before-planet label that will otherwise follow.