Extinction Rebellion's (XR) Insure Our Survival campaign continues its ongoing commitment to climate activism by disrupting the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) conference for the third consecutive year. This year’s event, held in Manchester, turned into a vibrant protest, featuring dramatic performances that highlighted the insurance industry’s role in facilitating fossil fuel projects while demanding a shift towards sustainable practices.

The campaign, which took place on 14 May 2025, underscored the critical relationship between insurers and fossil fuel developments. Sarah Brown from XR Macclesfield articulated the campaign's aim: “Any big fossil fuel projects — pipelines, coal mines, whatever it is — they all need insurance companies to back them. So if you get the insurance companies to say they won’t back them, you can’t have any more fossil fuel projects.” This sentiment echoes ongoing criticisms of the insurance sector, which, despite its significant social responsibility, continues to underwrite ventures that exacerbate the climate crisis.

Activists joined forces with organisations such as Friends of the Earth and Manchester Greenpeace to create a day filled with artistic and symbolic acts. The highlight was a striking life-sized model of a Lamborghini, designed to appear as though it were sinking into floodwaters — a powerful visual metaphor for the urgent consequences of climate change. In an ironic twist, while the theme of this year’s BIBA conference was “A New Era”, many activists sought to push the delegates towards a truly transformative understanding of sustainability.

Throughout the day, attendees witnessed performances from the Oil Slicks, an XR theatre group that draws attention to the perils of oil spills and the broader implications of fossil fuel consumption. Activists managed to engage in conversations with over a hundred delegates, distributing leaflets urging them to become “climate heroes” by reconsidering the complicit role their industry plays in environmental degradation. Some delegates expressed a willingness to change, claiming their companies no longer insured fossil fuel projects, while others were less receptive, with some openly dismissing the concerns.

This disruption in Manchester is part of a broader trend of protests aimed at the insurance industry, which has faced increasing scrutiny for its support of high-risk fossil fuel projects. Earlier actions included a similar event at Howden's London office, where activists targeted major players like Swiss Re and Munich Re, further emphasising the need for an industry-wide shift in practices. The movement is fuelled by an array of global efforts that seek to hold these companies accountable, especially as natural disasters linked to climate change intensify.

Martin Porter, a spokesperson for the coalition organising the Manchester protest, articulated the paradox the insurance industry faces: “The insurance industry, whilst it makes a profit from these projects, makes a loss on the consequences of climate change, having to pay out for the floods, the fires, and the consequences of extreme weather.” He urged for a proactive change in mindset, stressing that “the insurance industry does not deny the science. They understand the risks of not taking action.”

As protests escalate, the call for insurers to abandon fossil fuel projects grows louder. The debate is transforming not just public opinion but also the internal discussions within the insurance sector. As climate activists continue to persistently challenge the status quo, the conversations initiated at these conferences could be pivotal in ushering in a new era of responsibility and sustainability in the insurance industry.

The Insure Our Survival campaign is poised to maintain its momentum, with future events planned for London and other locations, illustrating that the fight for climate accountability in the insurance sector is far from over.

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Source: Noah Wire Services