In recent years, the youth of Boise have organized rallies calling for action on climate change. (thauwald-photos / Adobe Stock)

By Eric Tegethoff – Producer, Contact

April 1, 2021

BOISE, Idaho – Chase Bank is receiving an April Fool’s Day today from the youth of Boise, who are calling on the institution to invest in fossil fuels.

A recent report JPMorgan Chase has funded $ 317 billion worth of coal, oil and gas projects since the Paris climate agreement was adopted in 2016, the most of any bank.

This prompted Extinction Rebellion Youth Boise to throw a flash-mob dance party in the downtown core of the city.

Petra Hoffman, a sophomore at Boise High School and one of the group’s coordinators, noted that JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has said he supports the Paris Agreement.

“But money speaks a lot louder than what you say, and it’s very double,” Hoffman argued. “On the one hand, he says, ‘I want to protect your future,’ and then he invests his money in the active destruction of our world, the active destruction of our environment, and the active destruction of our future, really.”

Boise activists, as well as opponents across the country, are also protesting Chase Bank’s financial support for the Line 3 oil sands pipeline through native lands in Minnesota.

Chase’s investments in fossil fuels have trended downward since 2016, and she is committed to zero net emissions by 2050.

Other major banks are also pledging to meet net zero targets as the Biden administration contemplates major action on climate change.

Shiva Rajbhandari, also a sophomore at Boise High School and one of the group’s coordinators, said he was happy to see President Joe Biden focus on the climate crisis, but organizers added they should congratulate yourself for pushing Biden on the matter.

“Biden’s decisions on this are not necessarily Biden’s decisions,” Rajbhandari said. “These are the decisions of the American people, and climate action – government climate action – is incredibly popular among Americans, and it’s most popular among young people around the world.”

The Boise government is also focusing on climate change. It is to assemble a Youth Climate Action Council to help guide its planning. Hoffman and Rajbhandari apply.

Hoffman pointed out that civil disobedience is powerful, but believes it should be associated with leadership action.

“It must always go hand in hand with understanding policies and laws and working with those in power,” Hoffman said. “Because without this step you will be messing around forever and you won’t be able to build anything.”

The town of Boise is accepting nominations for Council until Sunday.

Best practices