Fossil fuel projects need three things to operate: permits, money, and insurance. And to stop the climate crisis, we need to shut down all three. Without insurance, fracking wells, LNG facilities, and oil pipelines can't be built. Insurers are also big investors, with hundreds of billions of dollars invested in coal, oil and gas companies.

Without the support of the insurance industry, the reckless expansion of climate-wrecking fossil fuels is not possible. But a new report by our friends at Rainforest Action network shows that insurers are increasing investment in fossil fuels, despite promising to align their policies and investments with the goals of the Paris climate agreement. This is doubly true fossil fuel exports like LNG.

That's why we’re participating in the first ever Insure Our Future Global Week of Action to hold the insurance industry accountable for its role in the climate crisis. Nearly 60 actions are already planned all over the globe in 27 different countries across 5 continents. Click here to see the map of actions and click on an event near you to get organized and take action!

No event in your area? No problem. You can use the tools on that page to plan your own event, or sign & share our message to the insurers of the Rio Grande LNG export terminal.

Insure our future, not fossil fuels by Roger Peet

Lots more details and context are available on that post in our blog. But here's the short version for your busy inbox:

There are three things fossil fuel projects need to operate: permits, money, and insurance.

Lately we've been talking a lot about fossil fuel permits pipeline, especially the important, partial, victory we won pausing LNG export permits. We've been talking about stopping the money pipeline to fossil fuels even longer, but the recent news has been bad: Several big banks and asset managers are breaking their promises to stop or slow investment in fossil fuels. We've got a plan to fight back later this spring and summer, but stay tuned for that.

Which brings us to insurance. The insurance industry is both a big part of the problem, and potentially a big part of the solution. We told you a few weeks ago about the Rio Grande LNG export terminal in Texas. It's already got permits from the Biden Administration, and investment from the big banks. But their insurance is up for renewal in March — if we shut down their insurance, Rio Grande LNG is just as blocked as CP2 LNG was by the permitting pause.

More than 340,000 letters have been sent to Rio Grande's insurers — Chubb, Liberty Mutual, and Sompo — already. And next week, we're delivering those messages and comments in person (including at a Boston event in front of the Liberty Mutual global HQ, join us!). Click here to send a letter (or send another one) and we'll follow up with news from the actions next week, and more ways to take action online!

But it's not just Rio Grande or just LNG exports. Insurers have a unique power to stop dirty new fossil projects going ahead, and instead make possible the safe, clean energy we need. That's what our global week of action is about: We need them to insure our future, not fossil fuels. Click here to find or plan an event, learn more, and sign up for future actions.

Thanks,

Drew and the 198 methods of direct action — divestment and un-insurance are two — crew

The artwork in our header graphic is by Sanya, and in the body of our email by Roger Peet. Check out the style guide for more examples and spread the word with art!

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