Extinction Rebellion stage protest over pension firm’s fossil fuel investments

Extinction Rebellion activists occupied ABP's lobby. Photo: ANP/Patrick Post
Extinction Rebellion activists occupied ABP’s lobby. Photo: ANP/Patrick Post

Around 20 members of Extinction Rebellion occupied the offices of government pension provider ABP on Monday morning to protest against its investments in fossil fuels.

The group held up banners with slogans such as ‘ABP, stop financing the climate crisis’ in the lobby of the building in Amsterdam’s Zuidas district on Monday morning.

The activists included teachers and civil servants, the sectors whose pensions are managed by ABP, whose €500 billion portfolio includes €15.3 billion invested in fossil fuel assets.

The group left the Symphonytoren on Gustav Mahlerplein after about an hour after police arrived and informed them they were trespassing.

In a press release, Extinction Rebellion said there was ‘no time left’ to take action on climate change: ‘The world is in a climate emergency. We owe it to ourselves and all future generations to do everything, not just a little, to keep the world inhabitable.’

ABP hopes that renewable energy will overtake fossil fuels, which currently account for 60% of its energy investments, by the end of this year, chairman of the investment committee Menno Snel told nu.nl last month.

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