Environmental activists from around the world are gathered in New York this week, where they held a first-of-its-kind Earth Day hearing on Citigroup’s environmental racism Monday.
Citibank is the world’s second-largest funder of coal, oil and gas. Roishetta Ozane is a Black environmental leader from Sulphur, Louisiana, who has been leading the fight against the Citibank-funded LNG buildout in her community. She told participants at the gathering: “We are calling for Citibank to commit to end funding and financing services for new and expanding liquefied methane gas projects and their parent companies, including all projects that have already been built and those that have not been built or those that have not reached a final investment decision. This is a critical time for Citi to assess climate, community and human rights impacts of the methane gas sector.”
In related news, students from Columbia, Tulane and the University of Virginia filed complaints with their states’ attorneys general, arguing their universities’ fossil fuel investments are illegal and counter to their missions.
The students cite a law which requires nonprofit institutions to prioritize “charitable purposes” when they invest. They also highlight the hypocrisy of the colleges conducting climate research while helping to financially fuel the crisis.
And in South Korea, a court heard from youth climate activists and their families, who accuse the government of failing to meaningfully act on climate change. It’s believed to be the first such case in Asia; similar cases have been filed in Europe and the U.S.
A mother of two children plaintiffs told the court: “Carbon emission reduction keeps getting pushed back as if it is a homework that can be done later. But that burden will be what our children have to bear eventually.”
