Logo for canvasopedia.org
Logo TactisForChange
Dilemma Actions MapCase StudiesMethodsIndexAbout UsContact Us

Aug 1, 2021-2021

United Kingdom

Race to Disaster

Share

ACTIVISTS/ACT.GROUPS/DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUP

Market Forces

TARGET

UK banks investing in fossil-fuel energy

WIDELY HELD BELIEF

That large banks continuing to invest in fossil-fuel energies will damage the environment.

CASE NARRATIVE

Issue and Opponent: The issue was that banks continued to invest in fossil-fuel companies while claiming to support green initiatives. The Race to Disaster campaign was meant to raise awareness of how much the top 4 UK banks invested in fossil-fuel technologies.
Dilemma Action: In the run-up to COP26, Australian environmental activist organization Market Forces stood outside of Barclays offices, dressed in Formula One uniforms, handed out flyers, and educated passing viewers on the environment-damaging investments of three banks: Barclays, Standard Chartered, and HSBC. In Formula One fashion, they revealed Barclays as the winner of their “race to disaster” winner on November 2, 2021.
Outcome: Barclays spokesperson has pledged to reduce the presence of fossil-fuel companies in its investment portfolio by 2025. No major changes have been made yet. Occurred during the same period as other protests leading up to COP26 Summit, although it was independent of the other movement taking place.

PRIMARY STRUGGLE/GOAL

Environment

DA TACTICS USED

Mock awards

CASE NARRATIVE WRITER

SUCCESS METRICS

8 / 12

(MC) Media Coverage

(MSYMP) Media coverage was sympathetic to the activists

(OR) Opponent response

(PS) Dilemma action built sympathy with the public

(REFR) Dilemma action reframed the narrative of the opponent

(RF) Dilemma action reduced fear and/or apathy among the activists

(SA) Dilemma action appealed to a broad segment of the public

Laugtivism

PART OF A LARGER CAMPAIGN

0 / 3

RESOURCES

Project documentation

Dilemma Actions Coding Guidebook

Case study documentation

Dilemma_Actions_Analysis_Dataset

CC BY 4.0 Deed, Attribution 4.0 International

SOURCES

Anon. 2022. “Race to disaster: Barclays, HSBC & Standard Chartered.” Market Forces UK. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://marketforces.org.uk/race-to-disaster/.

Westwater, Hannah. 2021. “Climate campaigners prepare “prize” for banks funding fossil fuels at COP26.” The Big Issue, August 19. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://www.bigissue.com/news/environment/climate-campaigners-prepare-prize-for-banks-funding-fossil-fuels-at-cop26/.

McGibbon, Adam. 2021. “UK banks competing in “Race to disaster” ahead of UN climate talks.” Market Forces UK, August 19. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://marketforces.org.uk/news/uk-banks-competing-in-race-to-disaster-ahead-of-un-climate-talks/.

Ambrose, Jillian. 2021. “Barclays has financed $5.6bn in new fossil fuel projects since January.” The Guardian, November 2. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/nov/02/barclays-has-financed-56bn-in-new-fossil-fuel-projects-since-january-cop26.

Williams-Grut, Oscar. 2021. “Barclays slammed for oil and gas lending as mayor urges “bold” action.” Evening Standard, November 2. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://www.standard.co.uk/business/cop26-barclays-market-forces-fossil-fuels-oil-gas-lord-mayor-of-london-b963866.html.

Related cases

Mar 27, 2017-2017

Russia

Rubber Ducks and Sneakers

The government of Russia, including Putin and Medvedev, is highly corrupt. This government has been accused of being an anti-democratic kleptocracy built on corruption...

Pro-Democracy
NONVIOLENT PROTEST A...

/

Marches
Share

Read more

Jan 16, 2016-2016

Guatemala

In 2016, an anti-immigration group called the Soldiers of Odin patrolled the streets of Tampere, Finland, carrying signs that read “Migrants Not Welcome”. This group h...

Civil Rights and Equality
Drama and Music

/

Humorous skits and p...

Jan 1, 2013-2013

Australia

Australia’s Whitehaven Coal Company continued to support coal mining, which is detrimental to the environment. A project of theirs, the coal project in Maules Creek, h...

Environment
Economic Interventio...

/

Rent withholding

Subscribe to our newsletters to get full access to all materials on our website.

Logo for canvasopedia.org
Logo TactisForChange
Dilemma Actions MapCase StudiesMethodsIndexAbout UsContact Us

© 2024 Tactics4 Change. All rights reserved. Read our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.