Introduction

What is Cut the Ties?

Behind the fossil fuel industry lies a shady network of corporations and organisations that legitimise and enable the activities of an industry that is killing us. These can be in the form of finance, insurance, legal, engineering, construction, PR, press, pension funds, lobby groups and an almost endless number of others.

Their link to the fossil fuel industry is often hidden behind their glossy websites and claims of being Net Zero, but a closer look will reveal that they are carrying out activities that mean they continue to profit from fossil fuels.

The size and power of some of these corporations mean if they were to CUT THE TIES TO FOSSIL FUELS others would follow. Corporations and organisations have a moral obligation – they know what we face, they know what damage their actions cause, yet they chose to prioritise profit over everything else.

Extinction Rebellion’s CUT THE TIES campaign takes action against these fossil fuel enablers, shining a light on the activities they would rather keep hidden. The campaign does not disrupt the general public but instead targets the companies responsible for propping up the fossil fuel industry.

These corporations and organisations do not like a spotlight being shined on their activities, it damages their reputation and claims of having “Green” credentials which some promote heavily. Previous CUT THE TIES actions have had considerable coverage in the industry press, causing embarrassment to the companies targeted. Through sustained and regular actions we can change their ways – e.g. several insurance companies have withdrawn their services to the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) after a series of actions including CUT THE TIES.

Will it work?

As well as their customers & the public, many of their own employees are unaware of all the practices their employers undertake. These employees are an excellent action target prompting them to think twice about the role they play within these companies.

CUT THE TIES aims to capitalise on increasing public awareness about the climate crisis, to embarrass these companies and use the reputational damage that this will cause to move them away from the fossil fuel industry.