A 15-year old climate activist stole headlines today after interrupting the chief executive of National Australia Bank Bank at a summit and slamming the industry for continued fossil fuel funding.
Christopher Black – a 15-year old student and delegate of environmental organization 350.org – stole headlines at the Australian Financial Review Baking Summit today after interrupting the speech of NAB CEO Ross McEwan.
«I am a 15-year-old climate disaster survivor. I’m in Year 9, and I live in Forestville, and I am very concerned about the climate crisis,» according to an «AFR» report citing a a letter from Black handed to McEwan. «For me, this is a very personal issue, which is literally a fight for my future.»
Black also questioned Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) chief executive Matt Comyn on fossil fuel funding at the event, highlighting issues like greenwashing.
Personal Experience
Black calls the issue personal due to real experiences he had with climate-related disasters including the 2019-20 bushfires in the Blue Mountains and Cyclone Seroja in Western Australia.
«I want to understand why you refuse to stop funding fossil fuels,» said Black when he was handed a microphone by AFR to address McEwan.
CEO Response
McEwan responded by asking Black to refer NAB’s existing policies on coal, oil and gas.
And Comyn cited CBA’s commitments to the Paris Agreement as well as limiting temperature increases to 1.4 degrees. He also said CBA’s balance sheet contained less than 2 percent exposure to fossil fuels.
Ageism?
According to the report, Black did not find the response satisfactory and called McEwan «patronizing» for asking him to refer to NAB’s policies.
«It’s just ridiculous how these bank CEOs think they can talk down to young people, and how they think that we are insignificant and that we’re not strong. But we are coming to take them on,» he said.
«They’re prioritizing lining their own pockets over saving the lives of human beings, and I think that’s just evil.»
