ING responds to letter Friends of the Earth
Today, ING responded to the letter from Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie), in which they hold us liable for alleged contribution to climate change, indicating that they might start legal proceedings against ING.
We agree with Milieudefensie on many things. We agree that urgent action is needed to limit global warming to 1,5 degrees, as laid out in the Paris Agreement. We also agree that everyone needs to do their part to make the transition towards a low carbon economy happen, and that as a bank we have a role to play.
“Sustainability is a key part of our overall strategic direction, and we are addressing it through a wide range of initiatives across our business”, said CEO Steven van Rijswijk, CEO of ING. “We are as concerned as Milieudefensie are about the climate and we have always had a good and constructive dialogue with them, from which we have also learned and taken inspiration. We would like to continue that dialogue, but if needed, we will of course explain our approach in court too.”
ING was one of the first major international banks to commit to the goals of the Paris Agreement. Our approach is based on science, and we adapt it as evolving science leads to new insights.