The Energy Intelligence Forum is due to begin tomorrow. The event will serve as a focus point for environmental activists, who are attempting to shut the conference down.
Ahead of the three-day energy meeting, activists targeted Energy Intelligence offices at Berkeley Square House.
Activists struck early this morning to daub the building with fake oil. They also wrote “Energy Intel – FOSSIL FOOLS” on the windows.
An umbrella movement known as “Oily money out” have three days of protests planned for the event. It will run from October 17 to 19.
The activists’ focus for day one will be to get “oil money out of our politics”. The second day will focus on Equinor’s recently approved Rosebank project, in the North Sea. The last day will be on “make polluters pay”.
On Friday the 20th, the protesters will have a “rave and resist” after party.
The main group behind the protests are Fossil Free London.
The Energy Intelligence Forum has long been a target of protests, but the intensity has increased in recent years. Security is likely to be tight and attendees will face scrutiny.
Until 2019, the event was known as Oil and Money. Energy Intelligence rebranded with a “new identity and a new mandate”.
The Oily money out campaign has said it does not expect those protesting to be arrested, but cannot rule it out.
The group organised a protest during the Changing of the Guard ceremony in September.
Guest list
Fossil Free London claimed a victory last week with the report that Sultan Al Jaber, head of Adnoc and the president of COP28, would not be attending. He had been due to participate.
“Al Jaber – the oil CEO who was unbelievably put in charge of UN climate talks – was due to speak alongside Shell, Total & Equinor bosses next week. He seems to have cancelled in the face of protest,” said the group.
While Al Jaber may not be attending, a number of high-profile CEOs and executives will be talking. The first event of the day involves head of Aramco, Amin Nasser, in discussion.
Presciently, the third panel of the day looks at climate divisions and the COP talks. “can the world move forward together (and what happens if it doesn’t?)”, the event asks.
Also speaking at the event will be Shell CEO Wael Sawan, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné and UK Minister of State for Department for Energy Security & Net Zero Graham Stuart MP.
Updated at 10:27 am to note graffitiing of the Energy Intelligence building.