When we think about climate change and pollution, we usually think about oil-soaked birds, fossil gas platforms in the Arctic or black smoke rising above coal plants. We never think about banks, insurers and investors. But we should. Because money is a driving force beyond fossil fuel extraction and environmental destruction.
談到氣候變遷及汙染時, 我們通常會想到 全身沾滿石油的鳥類、 北極圈的化石天然氣開採平台, 或者燃煤發電廠上空的黑煙。 我們從來不會想到銀行、 保險業者,及投資者。 但應該要想想。 因為錢就是背後的推手, 促成化石燃料開採 以及環境破壞。
The most polluting sector on the planet is not fossil fuels. It's finance.
地球上最會造成汙染的部門 並不是化石燃料部門。 是金融部門。
Sure, you've heard banks are increasingly putting money into green projects, and yes, they are financing green projects, but they are doing it on top of new polluting oil, coal and gas projects. I have been looking at the math for a decade, and it's still a green droplet in the ocean of pollution. I started to campaign to protect the environment and human rights when I was at university, and I cannot count how many times I've heard financiers telling me, "Sorry, we need coal." Sometimes they said, "We can make it clean." Mostly I've heard, "It's impossible. There is nothing we can do."
的確,你聽過 銀行把越來越多資金 投入到綠色計畫當中。 是的,它們是在資助綠色計畫, 但它們一邊做這些, 一邊也還是在推展造成汙染的 石油、煤礦,及天然氣新計畫。 我研究相關的數學有十年之久了, 但那仍然只是在汙染之海 當中的一滴綠水滴。 我開始發起運動 以保護環境及人權時, 我還在就讀大學, 我已經數不清有多少次, 我聽到金融家告訴我, 「抱歉,我們需要煤。」 有時,他們會說: 「我們能把它變乾淨。」 我最常聽到的是: 「不可能的。 我們無能為力。」
Rather than be discouraged, that gave me the strength to prove them wrong. But how does someone like me, with a small group of partners, take on the big banks and insurers? Well, we start by making smart demands. Then we incentivize action. And finally, we add a spoonful of blackmail that I like to think of as a friendly nudge.
這些挫折沒讓我洩氣,反而 給了我力量去證明他們錯了。 但,像我這樣的人, 只有一小群夥伴, 要如何槓上大銀行和保險業者? 嗯,我們從提出聰明需求開始。 接著,我們鼓勵行動。 最後, 我們再加上一大堆黑函, 但我比較想稱之為友善的輕推一把。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
When we set out to solve the issues of the world, we might want too much at once. The end of poverty, a peaceful world, a healthy planet. But how do you climb an unscalable mountain one step after another? The most important thing is to identify the SMART demand. Smart as in S.M.A.R.T. Something that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Something that you can realistically achieve based on the resources you have, your target and the balance of power between you and your target. You don't want something that requires more than 12 to 18 months to achieve because you will lose momentum. Victory sells, defeat does not. However, you don't want your objective to be too easy, either, because if it's too easy, it's not likely to change anything in the way the system works. And we want the system to change. So you want your objective to be disruptive and transformative to bring you closer to your final goal.
當我們打算起身解決世界的問題時, 我們可能會一次想要太多。 想終結貧困、 想要和平的世界、 想要更健康的地球。 但,你要如何爬上 一座無法攀爬的山? 一步接著一步爬。 最重要的是先找出 「SMART(聰明)」需求。 聰明就是 S、M、A、R、T。 這個縮寫代表的是明確的(S)、 可測量的(M)、可達成的(A)、 相關的(R),且有時限的(T)。 它是你可以實際達成的, 根據你手上有什麼資源、 你的目標為何, 以及你和目標之間的 權力平衡來設定它。 若要花十二到十八個月 才能達成,就不適合, 因為這樣會讓你失去衝勁。 勝利才有賣點,失敗沒有。 不過,目標也不能設得太簡單, 因為,如果太簡單, 就不太可能讓體制運作有什麼改變。 而我們想要改變體制。 你的目標必須要有顛覆性, 能帶來改變,才能讓你 與最終目的更接近。
For the past 10 years, my goal has always been the end of all financing of all fossil fuels. But back in 2013, even the idea that banks could automatically reject a whole sector of the economy appeared as crazy and was not open for discussion. So at that time, a smart objective was to convince one bank to withdraw from one project. And it didn’t take me long to come across one of the most insane projects: a huge coal mine that could open the way to eight other coal projects and destroy the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO site. This was Alpha Coal mine in Australia, supported by French bank Societe Generale. Our first SMART objective was to get this bank out of this project, and we succeeded after a year of relentless campaigning. Today --
過去十年, 我的目的一直都是要終結 所有提供給化石燃料的資金。 但在 2013 年時, 就連銀行可以自動拒絕整個 經濟部門的想法 也被視為很瘋狂且不開放討論。 所以,在那時,聰明目標 就是去說服一家銀行 退出一個計畫。 沒多久,我就遇到了 最荒唐的計畫之一: 一個大型煤礦計畫,它可以 為其他八個煤礦計畫開路, 且會摧毀世界遺產之一:大礁堡。 這就是澳洲的 Alpha 煤礦計畫, 由法國興業銀行資助。 我們的第一個聰明目標,就是 要讓這家銀行退出這個計畫。 經過一整年不眠不休的 推動,我們成功了。 現今——
(Applause)
(掌聲)
Today, the coal of the Alpha Coal mine is still in the ground.
現今,Alpha 煤礦中的煤 仍躺在地下未被開採。
And from there, we moved on to our second objective. To get French banks to commit not to finance any of the projects located in the same basin of the Alpha Coal mine.
接著,我們繼續去進行 我們的第二個目標。 要讓法國銀行承諾不要資助 和 Alpha 煤礦位在 同盆地中的任何其他計畫。
We succeeded, moved on to our third objective, to get French banks to commit not to finance any new coal mines, any new coal plants worldwide. We did one bank, two banks, three banks, four banks, until we convinced all French banks, the fourth-biggest banking sector worldwide, to reject all project financing for the coal sector.
我們成功了,接著邁向第三個目標, 讓法國銀行承諾不要資助 全世界任何新的煤礦, 任何新的燃煤發電廠。 我們找了一家銀行、兩家銀行、 三家銀行、四家銀行, 直到我們說服了所有法國銀行, 全世界第四大的銀行部門, 拒絕所有資助煤礦部門的計畫。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
And from there, we carry on until reaching our final goal: to get French financial institutions, not only the banks but also the insurers, investors, AXA and Amundi, to exit from the coal sector entirely. Not just say "no" to projects, but also to companies with existing coal operations. This goal seemed completely impossible a few years ago, and yet it's currently happening. Today, six trillion dollars of assets managed by French financial institutions are covered by a coal exit policy.
接著我們繼續邁進, 直到達成我們的最終目的: 要讓法國金融機構, 不僅是銀行,還有保險業者、 投資者、安盛,及東方匯理, 完全脫離煤礦部門。 不僅是對計畫說「不」, 還有所有已在採煤的公司。 幾年前,這個目的似乎是遙不可及, 但現在卻在實現中了。 現今,法國金融機構 所管理的資產當中 有六兆美金 都是向脫煤的保險業者投保。
It helps if we think from the position of the person we try to convince. It will make my life a lot easier if my job was to convince every banker of the moral necessity to stop financing fossil fuels. But that's not my job. My job is to make sure they stop no matter the reasons. As campaigners, our first responsibility is to think who needs to be convinced, what kind of arguments are they likely to listen to the most. Bankers, insurers, these people don't live in a bubble. They have seen the fires and the floods of the past months, and as many of us, most of them are getting worried for themselves and for their kids. But the world is driven by digits, ruled by a system that demands profits.
如果能站在我們試圖說服的 對象的立場來思考,會有幫助。 我的人生會輕鬆很多, 如果我的工作是要說服每個銀行業者 在道德面上,必須要 停止資助化石燃料。 但那不是我的工作。 我的工作是要確保不論理由 為何,它們都得停止資助。 身為活動家,我們的 第一個責任是要思考 該說服誰、 他們最可能聽進去的論點是什麼? 銀行業者、保險業者, 這些人不是活在泡泡裡的人。 在過去幾個月, 他們見過大火和洪水, 且和我們很多人一樣, 他們大多數人也開始為自己 及自己的孩子擔心了。 但這個世界是由數字驅動的, 由追求利潤的體制所管轄。
So when I meet with the head of investment of a big financial institution, I don't bang on the table and say, "Our planet is on fire," which it is. I say, "Have you thought about your long term risk profile? The project that your client is developing might be forced to close down because of a new climate regulation or because a green alternative has become cheaper. Not only you might not profit from it, but you might actually lose money."
所以,當我會見大型 金融機構的投資主管時, 我不會一邊敲桌子一邊說: 「我們的地球在水深火熱中!」 雖然事實是如此。 我會說: 「你有思考過你的長期風險概況嗎? 你的客戶在開發的計畫, 有可能會被迫終止, 因為會有新的氣候規定, 或者因為某種綠色 替代能源變得更便宜。 你不但可能無法從中獲利, 你可能還會損失錢。」
Bankers and financial institutions are slowly realizing that this climate issue is something they need to care about. If they don't deal with it, climate change will deal with them.
銀行業者和金融機構慢慢開始了解 他們可能得要關心這個氣候議題。 如果他們不把它處理掉, 氣候變遷就會把他們處理掉。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
Yet even the argument of the financial risk doesn't always hit the mark. But there is one argument which is stronger than any other: the reputational risk. Financial institutions spend millions and millions to appear as green as possible, and they would not want that good PR money to go to waste. A good reputation takes years to build, but it can be lost in a week. And we can use that to our advantage. If you don't do the right thing and have your dirty financing revealed, you might lose clients, current employees, new talents. Where will your next generation of employees come from if people feel embarrassed to come work for you?
但,就連財務風險的論點 也不見得都能成功。 但有一個論點,比其他論點都強: 商譽風險。 金融機構會花上數百萬美金 讓自己盡可能看起來很環保, 它們不會希望用在公關的 大把銀子被浪費掉。 要花好多年才能建立好商譽, 但一週就可以把它毀掉。 我們可以把這一點變成我們的優勢。 如果你不去做對的事, 把你骯髒的資助計畫揭露出來, 你可能會失去客戶、 現有員工、新的人才。 如果大家覺得為你工作 是很丟臉的事, 你要從哪裡找到你的下一代員工?
Once I wrote a report about a big French bank's hypocrisy on climate.
有一次,我針對一家大型 法國銀行的氣候偽善
This bank had stopped financing coal mines and claimed it was for climate reasons. But the same bank was actively supporting the building of new coal plants. What a hypocritical stand, right? So I wrote the report, but I didn't publish it straight away. Instead, I sent it to the bank and gave them two options. Either I can throw the report away, or I could send it to the press, depending on the bank's decision to meet my demands after a specific deadline and stop financing coal plants on top of new coal mines.
寫了一篇報導。 這家銀行已經停止資助煤礦了, 它聲稱是為了氣候才這麼做。 但同一家銀行也主動提供資金, 建造新的燃煤發電廠。 很偽善的立場,對吧? 所以我寫了那篇報導, 但我沒有馬上刊出。 我反而把它寄給銀行, 並給他們兩個選項。 我可以把報導丟掉, 或者我可以寄給媒體, 就看銀行是否會在明確的時限前 滿足我的要求, 除了不要資助新煤礦之外, 也要停止資助燃煤發電廠。
(Laughter and applause)
(笑聲及掌聲)
It's not a ransom, not a trap. Just a friendly nudge. I'm only here to help. As long as the bank is ready to consider my demands and give it a try.
那不是勒贖,不是陷阱, 只是友善的輕推一把。 我只是想幫忙。 只要銀行準備好 考量我的要求並一試。
(Laughter and applause)
(笑聲及掌聲)
We help by providing information and data, sometimes better than private data providers. And we are not just here to mourn and criticize. When things are headed in the right direction, we are all supportive. And when finally, financial institutions publicly commit to withdraw from a polluting sector, we celebrate.
我們的協助方式是提供資訊和資料, 有時比私人的資料提供商還好。 我們不是只是來哀悼和批評的。 如果一切朝向對的方向前進, 我們會全力支持。 最後,當金融機構公開承諾 退出造成汙染的部門, 我們就會慶祝。
In less than 10 years, 25 global financial institutions are phasing out coal financing for good. In 2017, AXA was the first insurer to stop insuring new coal projects and stop investing in companies that developed new coal plants. In 2019, Crédit Agricole became the first global bank to adopt a comprehensive coal exit policy. Step by step, we are climbing this unscalable mountain, and it's working. Today, coal companies are struggling to secure the financing and the coverage needed for their operations. Today, the small group of people has become a much bigger crowd, and these people are taking on European, American and Asian financial institutions. It's no longer only about coal, but also about oil and gas. To decarbonize finance, to solve the climate issues is not just about voting with your wallet and moving your money to an ethical bank. It's about joining these people and marching through the front doors of big banks and insurers to demand the impossible.
在不到十年間, 有二十五家金融機構逐步停止 對煤礦的資助,且是永遠停止。 2017 年, 安盛成為第一家停止接受 新煤礦計畫投保的保險業者, 也不再投資任何開發 新燃煤發電廠的公司。 2019 年,農業信貸銀行 成為第一家採用 全面脫煤政策的全球銀行。 一步接著一步, 我們正在爬上這座無法攀爬的山, 且這是行得通的。 現今,煤礦公司很難取得它們營運 所需要的資金以及保險。 現今,本來的一小群人, 變成了更大的一票人, 這些人要槓上 歐洲、美洲,以及亞洲的金融機構。 也不只是針對煤礦, 還有石油和天然氣。 要讓金融去碳化以及解決氣候問題, 重點不只是用你的錢包來投票 以及將你的錢搬到有倫理的銀行。 重點是要加入這些人, 走進大銀行和保險業者的大門, 提出不可能的要求。
Thank you.
謝謝。
(Applause)
(掌聲)