Extinction Rebellion among groups set to protest at Biba conference

A protester has warned of “dramatic performances” from multiple groups – including Extinction Rebellion – at the upcoming Biba conference.

Speaking to Insurance Times, Martin Porter said protesters would descend on Manchester next week to plead with brokers and insurers to avoid coverage of fossil fuel projects.

At last year’s conference, a small group of protesters gathered outside the venue to call on insurance companies to not insure the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop).

This year, protesters are set to have a focus on Eacop again, as well as the West Cumbria coal mine.

“Last year, the protest was organised by a smaller number of Manchester based groups, but this year we have a larger number of groups from across the region and beyond, which include Extinction Rebellion,” Porter said.

“There will be dramatic performances to get across the message that the industry needs to look at its ongoing coverage of fossil fuel projects.”

The aim

Eacop is a pipeline that is set to transport oil produced from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the port of Tanga in Tanzania.

The official Eacop website states that the new corridor linking the two countries ”will bring benefits, including the development of new infrastructure, logistics, technology transfer as well as improving the livelihoods of communities along the route”.

Meanwhile, the Woodhouse Colliery scheme, which is operated by West Cumbria Mining, was signed off by the government back in December 2022.

In a statement when the application was granted, West Cumbria Mining said it would deliver the “world’s first net zero mine supplying the critical steel industry with a high-quality metallurgical coal product”.

However, Porter said he hoped brokers and insurers ”will listen to what we have to say and we hope they will be happy to engage with us”.

”The aim to get the industry talking about whether it remains ethically and morally right to insure fossil fuel risks,” he said.

“The insurance industry is in many ways the fossil fuel industry’s achillies heel.

”Insurers in many ways know more than we do about the risks and the impact. Without insurance, these projects could not operate, so we need the industry to act as a whole.

”While many insurance companies have been clear they will no longer offer cover, there are still major entities which have yet to do so.”

Porter added that Zurich Insurance’s announcement that it will no longer underwrite new oil and gas projects was a “huge step”.

“The decision from Zurich was a huge step in the right direction and we have seen a large number of insurers refuse to offer cover for Eacop,” he said.

“It may well mean that the constructors will face tougher terms for their insurance but until every underwriter refuses to insure the pipeline, it will not be enough.”