BANKING On CLIMATE CHAOS. (RAINFOREST ACTION NETWORK)

 

BREAKING NEWS Big banks spent $2 TRILLION on fossil fuel expansion in just 5 years! Friend, Everyone deserves clean air and water, safe and affordable energy, and to have their human rights respected. These things are all deeply influenced by choices made by the world’s biggest banks. Our 17th Banking On Climate Chaos report is here, and it reveals those very choices, and how these banks continue to use their – AKA our – money to finance the fragile fossil fuel energy system, making massive wealth for the few, at the expense of our futures and shared climate. In these most critical years to limit the impacts of climate chaos, big banks continue to increase their fossil fuel financing.1 We’re sharing the receipts, and we’re asking you to do the same with your network, friend, so that everyone can see what these banks are using their hard-earned savings for.

In 2025, the Dirty Dozen provided almost 40% of all bank fossil fuel funding worldwide. That’s right, just 12 banks out of the 2,000 we studied are responsible for over a third of global bank fossil fuel financing. Is your bank one of them? Even though scientists have said there’s no need for a single new oil field, tanker, pipeline, or any fossil fuel expansion,2 banks continue to finance it. From 2021-2025, the 65 biggest banks committed $2 TRILLION (that’s trillion with a “T”) to companies developing NEW coal, oil, and gas projects and infrastructure across the globe. Not only that, but just last year, they poured $508 BILLION into these companies, a 27% INCREASE from 2024. This is why we do Banking On Climate Chaos: it shows what these banks are really using our money for. Will you show your friends, friend? Spread the word  These banks don’t want you to know what they’re up to, and that’s one of the many reasons why this research is so crucial. We know these numbers are big, almost inconceivable even, and that the news is disheartening. But this year’s Banking On Climate Chaos doesn’t just show the bad, it provides a roadmap on how to phase out fossil fuel banking. Because here’s the thing: Renewable capacity expansion is accelerating worldwide, solar and wind now outpace coal, and clean power met all growth in global electricity demand in 2025. Today, we’re spreading the word on what these banks are up to. Tomorrow, we continue on our path together towards a just future and livable climate for everyone. The Climate and Energy Team Rainforest Action Network P.S. Head to bankingonclimatechaos.org to see what your bank is up to. 1bankingonclimatechaos.org 2https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-roadmap-a-global-pathway-to-keep-the-15-0c-goal-in-reach

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