AIG, All Blacks principal sponsor seems to like the colour black

AIG is the principal sponsor of the All Blacks.

Climate change activists are putting pressure on the All Blacks to cancel the sponsorship deal with the insurance company.

This followed a tip-off from an AIG staff member which revealed that AIG is insuring the on-ground works at the Adani Carmichael mine site, in northern Queensland, and providing Directors and Officers insurance.

14 other insurance companies have ruled out insuring the project after coming under pressure from activist groups Insure Our Future, Market Forces and SumOfUs.

If built, Adani’s Carmichael project would open up one of the largest untapped coal reserves in the world.

It has the capacity to produce up to 60 million tonnes of thermal coal every year (on par with the biggest mine in the US).

But at this stage, it’s only planning to produce around 27.5 million tonnes.

To put that into perspective, BMA’s Blackwater mine in Queensland produces around 13 million tonnes of coal, while BHP’s Mount Arthur mine in NSW produces 15 million tonnes.

act.360 reports that if it is built, the mine will pump out 57 years worth of New Zealand’s entire annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Anti-coal campaigners SumOfUs and 350.org have launched petitions calling on Rugby New Zealand to “distance themselves from this toxic project and suspend their sponsorship with AIG immediately”.

A post on act.360 claims AIG is in damage control.

“It’s hoping that another win for the All Blacks will help smooth over the bad PR they’ve been receiving for accepting sponsorship from AIG.”

Adani Australia is an energy and infrastructure company, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of India’s Adani Group.

A petition calling on AIG to rule out any future dealings with Adani now sits at 135,000 signatures and was delivered to AIG offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane earlier this month under a heavy police presence.

Click here if you wish to join the act.360’s protest

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