Anna Shiryaevskaya, Archie Hunter, Laura Hurst and Priscila Azevedo Rocha, Bloomberg News

LONDON
Energiesnet.com 10 17 2023

Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg was arrested outside a major energy industry event in London, where crowds of protesters blocked several top oil executives from entering the venue.

Thunberg had addressed protesters who held signs saying “People not Profit” as delegates tried to gain access to the Intercontinental hotel. As many as 250 demonstrators blocked entrances to the building, where the annual Energy Intelligence Forum is taking place through Thursday.

Executives from companies including Gunvor Group, Trafigura Group and Shell Plc were not able to deliver speeches they were due to give to the oil and gas industry. The conference has attracted protesters in previous years, but this is the first time that access has been blocked.

Momentum is building among climate protesters ahead of global talks due to take place in Dubai in a few weeks. After a summer of wildfires and extreme heat, global average temperatures for September broke records by a huge margin. The temperature anomaly for the month was roughly 1.7C above pre-industrial levels, which is above the symbolic 1.5C mark set as the stretch goal in the Paris Agreement.

There have been 20 arrests and officers remain on the scene, according to a statement by the Metropolitan Police. Police have reopened access to the hotel after the protesters caused havoc outside and several demonstrators accessed the roof of the building.

Further protests are planned throughout the three-day conference, Greenpeace said by email.

“Oil bosses are toasting each other in a luxury hotel and plotting how to make even larger profits, while millions struggle to rebuild after a summer of extreme weather,” Maja Darlington, campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said in a statement.

–With assistance from Elena Mazneva.

bloomberg.com 10 17 2023