Break up with Danske Bank
The carbon footprint of Danske Bank’s is approximately equal to that of the entire domestic emissions of Denmark. Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, the bank has financed the fossil fuel industry with DKK 100 billion. As of November 2022, Danske Bank had DKK 8.4 billion invested in companies looking for new oil & gas. Its climate action plan issued on January 2023, pretends to be finally willing to align with the Paris Agreement. However, the new plan allows them to keep investing in any oil & gas company, and they will keep financing those involved in transporting, storing, refining or marketing for oil & gas. The bank will also keep financing “green projects” of dirty companies, which frees up money for their climate-damaging activities. This type of loan is recognized as a loophole by the European Investment Bank, which therefore stopped this type of lending in 2021. This isn’t climate action, this can’t even be called climate inaction. This is active and criminal participation in a crisis that is destroying ecosystems, and destroying communities around the world. Danske Bank’s plan is pure greenwashing.
On January 25th, 2023, we performed a die-in in front of the Nørreport branch of Danske Bank, to illustrate the countless deaths the bank is causing (and will cause) with their criminal oil-supporting activities.
On February 14th, 2023, scientists and activists threw money & fake oil on the bank’s floor to illustrate Danske Bank’s dirty partnerships with the fossil fuel industry. Scientists posted scientific papers documenting the reality of the climate crisis & the responsibility of banks. Some were glued to the windows of the bank. The police detained 13 people and arrested 7 of them, who spent 6 hours in detention.
On March 21st, 2023, 14 activists including scientists from Scientist Rebellion Denmark, Scientist Rebellion Portugal and Extinction Rebellion Denmark took part in the general assembly of Danske Bank, as shareholders, to demand a vote against investments in the fossil fuel industry. They were not listened to. So on March 28th, activists from Scientist Rebellion and Extinction Rebellion exposed the true colours of Danske Bank by pouring fake “oil” at the bank’s HQ in Copenhagen. Two scientists and an activist were arrested.