ACTIVISTS disrupted Britain’s largest climate science conference today demanding it sever ties with an insurance firm linked to oil drilling and coalmining projects.

Extinction Rebellion hit Exeter Climate Forum during a keynote speech calling attention to the sponsorship arrangement with Howden Insurance.

Activists unfurled banners which read: “Howden Insurance Climate Criminals” and “Stop Climate Chaos” at the University of Exeter, where policy-makers and scientists were in attendance.

They accused the insurance firm of enabling “climate-wrecking fossil-fuel projects by brokering insurance for oil drilling, coalmining and oil infrastructure.”

Exeter University also gave Howden Insurance seats on multiple panels during the climate science conference, activists added.

Protesting against his university’s involvement, climate science student Jonathan Parker got on stage to disrupt the speech of Exeter University vice-chancellor Lisa Roberts.

Mr Parker told the crowd: “After 1,300 people died in Europe from last week’s heatwave, it’s clear that the urgency and severity of the climate crisis is only accelerating.

“We need to shut out dirty money and take rapid action on the climate now.

“Howden is a major insurer of fossil fuels, and having them sponsor a climate science conference is utter madness.”

Ms Roberts announced cuts to academic staff last week which affected some in the Environment and Sustainability Institute, Extinction Rebellion said.

Demonstrations continued outside the conference where staff, students and Exeter University College Union (UCU) members showed their solidarity with the activists.

Environmentalist Jonathan Porritt lent his support for today’s action, calling the lack of leadership in the insurance industry “despicable.”

He said: “Its shareholders should be rising up in revolt.”

Mr Porritt also slammed “the shameless decision” of the university to use “Howden’s dirty money to sponsor a conference about climate change.”

A Howden spokesperson said: “We are committed to playing an active role in the transition to net zero and believe that we can have more impact by working with clients to accelerate their decarbonisation than by disengaging from them.

“We have invested significantly in developing the solutions and driving the change needed for our industry to play its crucial role in derisking both the continued development of alternative energy sources and the decarbonisation of existing.”

The University of Exeter has been contacted for comment.