October 7, 2023
Climate change choir calls for fossil fuel-free science museums
Today (7 October), a 100-strong climate change choir staged a surprise protest inside London’s Science Museum, calling on trustees to block harmful plans from coal and gas giant Adani to the New Energy Revolution Climate Change Gallery. He requested that the sponsorship money be refused.
The words ‘climate change’ rang out as 100 singers from nine climate choirs gathered in a stunning choral protest inside the Science Museum.
A huge banner reading “Science Museum, stop ignoring science” was lowered from the balcony of the Energy Hall.
The protest comes ahead of a Science Museum Management Committee meeting later this week, which will give the museum the chance to cancel sponsorship deals before the new gallery opens.
Joe Flanagan, co-founder of the Climate Choir movement, said: “We are here to peacefully raise our voices and challenge a science museum that is one of the last public institutions to accept fossil fuel funding.
“This gives sponsors unwarranted honor and privileged access to their networks, while also sending a message that these fossil fuel companies are doing the right thing when they clearly aren’t.
“When tobacco sponsorship became harmful, the laws started changing. We need fossil fuel companies to make that shift now.”
Burning oil, gas and coal causes climate change. Coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels, and Adani has the largest coal expansion plan of any fossil fuel company in the world.
Dr David L. Clements, Reader in Astrophysics at Imperial College, London, added: Power.
“Adani’s willingness to accept gag clauses and greenwashing shows that it is more interested in funding from sponsors than actually communicating the scientific truth.”
Dr Sophie Renner, Lecturer in Physics at the University of Glasgow, said: “Why aren’t science museums putting on exhibits about the role of fossil fuels in destroying the planet? Instead, they’re calling on fossil fuel companies to present themselves in a positive light for children and families.
“Science museum managers are complicit in delaying action to reduce emissions to the pace that science demands.”
Thanks to the Science Museum, in addition to Adani, sponsors such as BP, which is reverting to renewable energy, and Equinor, which owns the controversial Rosebank oil field in the North Sea, will continue to move into oil, gas and coal. It will be possible to greenwash certain investments.
Mr. Adani has been accused of violating the human rights of indigenous peoples and contaminating crops, and was accused of corruption and fraud after the release of the Hindenburg report.
And by depriving Adani of this dirty money, the science museum managers have made themselves complicit in their murderous greening.
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