Brian Eno and Robert Smith sign open letter to the UK government criticising oil field plans
Brian Eno, Massive Attack and Robert Smith are among many names who have signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
The letter urges the UK government not to accept plans for the Rosebank oil field. It claims that the UK “urgently need to phase out oil and gas drilling”. It also adds that a rejection of Rosebank “would signal the government’s serious commitment to tackling the climate crisis”.
The open letter also states that in just one year, Rosebank would emit more carbon dioxide emissions than the world’s 28 lowest-income countries combined. The oil field is a massive, undeveloped oil and gas field located 80 miles west of the Shetland Islands and is considered the largest untapped oil field in the UK.
This fact does not go amiss, as the letter states: “The significant harm that will result from new oil and gas projects must be taken seriously, as should the economic impacts of climate change and the negligible role that new UK oil fields would play in providing the UK with reliable energy supplies.”
It also nods to the general criticism that music and politics should remain separate. “As musicians and artists, we know that our creativity is rooted in the world around us,” it reads. “But that world is under threat. Festivals are being cancelled due to extreme weather, and grassroots venues are grappling with rising energy costs.” Last month, the Bonnaroo festival was cancelled due to extreme floods.
It continues, “Continued oil and gas expansion jeopardises not only our climate, but the cultural spaces where music is made and shared, the natural landscapes that inspire creativity, and the livelihoods of artists and those who support them.
Over 100 artists have currently signed the letter. These include Lola Young, Imogen Heap, Jacob Collier, Enter Shikari, Confidence Man, Daniel Avery, Bicep, Candida Doyle of Pulp, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip, and many others.
Eno explained this show of resistance in a separate statement, writing, “Fossil fuels are not only unsustainable – they are actively destructive. The evidence is clear: burning them accelerates the climate crisis, endangers our futures, and undermines the UK’s credibility as a climate leader. The Prime Minister must listen – reject Rosebank, and stop approving new oil and gas developments.”
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