CROMWELL, CT – Today (6/21/23), Connecticut Citizen Action Group and the Insure Our Future coalition rallied outside the Travelers Championship Tournament in Cromwell, protesting the company’s investment and underwriting of fossil fuel expansion.
For the second year in a row, protestors were accompanied by Hartford’s Proud Drill Drum and Dance Corp, an organization that works to transform lives through art & entertainment. The youth drummers and dancers called for Travelers to protect their future.
This year’s tournament follows one of the worst air quality weeks the East Coast has ever seen. Activists reminded tournament attendees that if this event had been scheduled for June 7th, it would have been canceled due to health concerns from wildfire smoke.
Along with climate change concerns, this tournament is already under fire from 9/11 victims, who have spoken out against the PGA’s merger with LIV Golf, which is backed by the Saudi Arabian Government.
“This has taken on greater urgency in the last couple weeks. The Professional Golf Association has just announced they are merging with a Saudi based company (LIV Golf), which is one of the biggest oil producers and one of the most corrupt regimes in the world.Travelers failed to denounce the Saudi takeover of the PGA, which shows a continued complicity with the fossil fuel industry and indifference to human rights and climate change.”
Travelers Insurance is one of the top insurers of the oil and gas industry and has adopted no formal policies to limit support for (non-tar sands) oil and gas projects or companies.
This rally comes one month after investors challenged the company with two climate resolutions on the ballot at the annual general meeting (AGM), demonstrating investor concern with the reputational and fiduciary risk involved with climate change.
