Following the Money: Ryan Brightwell on Banks, Human Rights, & the Planet
Where does the money for the world’s most destructive projects really come from? In this eye-opening interview, I sit down with Ryan Brightwell, Deputy Director of Research & Communications at BankTrack, the global watchdog exposing how private-sector banks bankroll deforestation, fossil fuels, and projects tied to serious human-rights abuses.
Ryan pulls back the curtain on:
- How BankTrack investigates “dodgy deals” that link commercial banks to environmental destruction.
- The hidden pathways of finance behind oil pipelines, coal mines, and land-grabs.
- What civil society and everyday consumers can do to hold financial giants accountable.
If you’ve ever wondered how your savings, investments, or bank might be fueling climate chaos or human-rights violations, this episode will change the way you think about money and power.
Resources & Links
🌍 Learn more: https://www.banktrack.org
🚫 Learn more about stopping the East African Pipeline: stopeacop.net
🚨 TAKE ACTION - SIGN THE PETITIONS: https://www.stopeacop.net/go-global
🔎 Follow Ryan & BankTrack Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/bank.track
https://bsky.app/profile/banktrack.bsky.social
https://www.linkedin.com/company/banktrack
THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS SWITCH TO A LOCAL CREDIT UNION OR BANK NOT INVOLVED - MOVE YOUR MONEY OUT OF THIS SYSTEM. We can truly vote with our dollars, if everyone did this, we could put them out of business or make them change their ways very quickly.
Chapters:
0:40 – Introducing Ryan Brightwell from BankTrack - his role & BankTrack's work
1:30 – Let’s cut to the chase—who are the worst offenders? Which banks are the biggest enablers of environmental destruction, and how deep does their involvement go?
3:35 – If people knew where their money was actually going, they’d be outraged. Can you expose some of the most shocking cases of banks financing deforestation, fossil fuels, or human rights abuses?
4:00 - Banks role in financing weapon producers for Israel and F-45 fighter jets used in the assault on G A Z A currently
4:41 – A current project to stop: The East African Crude Oil Pipeline running right next to one of Uganda's main clean water sources & critical wildlife habitats
9:30 – Are there any good banks & how to know or find them (bank.green)
10:50 - Do banks knowingly fund planetary destruction, or do they hide behind greenwashing and clever PR? How deceptive are they really?
13:35 – How do the financial decisions of major banks directly contribute to the collapse of ecosystems, climate change, and human suffering?
14:57 - Paper giant APP's role in forest destruction and land grabs in Indonesia
19:00 - How one of BankTrack's involvement in a campaign helped have success in exposing and gaining retribution for communities affected by land grabs in Cambodia
21:03 - Are banks actively financing the destruction of Indigenous lands, and if so, how do they get away with it? Are the local governments also involved?
25:55 - Chaos in the Congo: Who's behind it?
30:40 - What tactics do banks use to silence activists, whistleblowers, or journalists exposing their corruption? Have you or your team ever faced threats or pushback?
34:00 - One of the most infuriating cases: Standard Bank knowingly funding the EACOP after dialogue with BankTrack, how to get involved & take action
36:21 - Do divestment campaigns actually work? Can pulling our money out of bad banks create real change, or do we need a more radical approach?
39:32 - If banks are this deeply intertwined with corruption, should we be focusing on financial revolution—like decentralized banking and alternative economic systems?
41:17 - If we don’t change course now, what does the future look like in 10, 20, or 50 years? How bad is it really?
46:40 - What gives you hope? What’s one victory that proves we can still turn this around?
49:02 - The one thing Ryan wants everyone to know and be empowered by