Greenpeace Activists Protest Greenwashing at EIB

On Wednesday morning, Greenpeace activists staged a protest against greenwashing outside the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

The demonstration coincided with a meeting of the Board of Directors of the EIB. 

Activists used banners and signs to rebrand the bank as the "European Greenwashing Bank". They argued that the EIB continues to fund "climate-damaging activities" such as fossil-gas projects, all the while "claiming it is doing its part to protect the climate".

Frank Thinnes, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Luxembourg, commented: "The EIB, under President Werner Hoyer's watch, is a public institution bound by the Paris climate agreement's goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C. It has to put its money where its mouth is, close all loopholes allowing financing for major polluters, and do its part to stop the climate crisis. There is no excuse for the EIB to continue funding fossil fuels, motorway expansion, and industrial farming".

Greenpeace warned that the EIB's climate roadmap and recent announcements "will not put an end to this." 

The environmental non-profit organisation has thus called on the EIB to "fulfil its climate obligations and stop greenwashing". 

"We call upon Pierre Gramegna [Luxembourg's Minister of Finance] to ensure that the EIB, the biggest multilateral financial institution in the world, truly aligns with the Paris Agreement", continued Frank Thinnes. "His active support for a clear and strong criteria for the EIB's clients could contribute to transforming the EIB into a true sustainable role model for financial institutions".