ALBANY — An assembly of local faith leaders will be at the forefront of a climate demonstration Friday in Albany to call upon big businesses to halt investments in new fossil fuel projects and redirecting funds toward renewable energy.
Organized by Rivers & Mountains GreenFaith Circle, a multi-faith movement for climate justice, the “Stop Funding Climate Chaos” strike will lead protesters from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. from Academy Park to East Capitol Park They will pass TD Bank, which the event is targeting among others for its funding of tar sands oil and the Trans Mountain Pipeline in Canada.
“The goal is to bring attention to the role that big banks, asset managers and insurance companies play in the excavation, production and transportation of fossil fuels. We understand that we’re not going to stop existing projects, but we don’t need to be putting all this money into new fossil fuel projects, we need to be putting it into renewables,” Michael Richardson, co-founder of the nonprofit, said.
Richardson said 18 faith leaders will speak at the demonstration about the moral imperative to turn off the money pipeline and decrease the input of greenhouse gases into the environment.
“The message is simple,” said demonstration organizer John Seakwood of the Tendai Buddhist Institute. “TD Bank and other financial giants must immediately stop funding new fossil fuel projects. These projects accelerate the climate crisis at a time when we must change course to avert catastrophe.”
Climate activists will deliver a letter to TD Bank signed by 21 organizations from New York, Vermont and Massachusetts, including the New York State Council of Churches, Extinction Rebellion Capital Region, Capital Region Interfaith Creation Care Coalition and Progressive Schenectady.
A spokesperson for TD Bank responded to news about the protest with the following statement: “TD recognizes the importance of responsibly developing conventional energy as we support the long-term transition to a low-carbon economy and a sustainable future. Under our Climate Action Plan, TD aims to achieve net-zero GHG emissions associated with our operations and financing activities by 2050, aligned with principles of the Paris Agreement.”
The Red Rebel Brigade, a silent procession of performance activists clad in red to mimic the common blood shared with all species, will lead the march and initiate a “silent plea” to recognize the effects of climate change and mourn the environmental losses. The performance troupe, created by Doug Francisco and Justine Squire of Bristol’s Invisible Circus for the London 2019 Extinction Rebellion uprising, will be followed by Buddhist bagpiper Andrew Forbes from Nova Scotia.
Source: timesunion.com
