Activists Challenge BNP Paribas and TotalEnergies Over Climate Policy
Activists from Extinction Rebellion protested at BNP Paribas' Paris headquarters over BNP's ties with TotalEnergies, which is criticized for not addressing climate issues at its shareholder meeting. TotalEnergies is opting for a climate debate without voting on its strategy, drawing NGO criticism.
- Country:
- France
A group of around twelve activists from the Extinction Rebellion movement staged a brief occupation of the BNP Paribas headquarters' entrance in Paris. This demonstration, which took place on Friday morning, aimed to protest BNP's alleged connections with energy giant TotalEnergies. The protest coincided with TotalEnergies' annual shareholders meeting scheduled for the afternoon.
Environmental advocates involved in the protest donned white masks and scattered fake money while chanting slogans until police removed them. Extinction Rebellion issued a statement indicating that the action was part of a broader campaign against TotalEnergies and its business collaborators, criticizing the company for not allowing shareholders to vote on its climate strategy.
In response, BNP Paribas condemned the protest, emphasizing its commitment to financing low-carbon projects. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies, which plans a climate debate rather than a shareholder vote, is under scrutiny by several NGOs for perceived backtracking on environmental commitments.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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