Artists including Paloma Faith, Lola Young and The Cure's Robert Smith have urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to reject future drilling at the Rosebank oil field in the North Sea. In a letter also addressed to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the musicians argued that further development of the oil field north west of Shetland would undermine the UK's climate commitments and harm the cultural sector's sustainability.
The letter states "any new application to exploit Rosebank's reserves must be refused" and calls on the Government to follow the science. The open letter was coordinated by Earth Percent and backed by the Stop Rosebank campaign, with signatories including Radiohead's Ed O'Brien and Philip Selway, Enter Shikari, Imogen Heap, and Years & Years' Olly Alexander.
Government guidance and legal developments
The Government published new guidance last month on how environmental impacts of oil and gas are included in assessments. This allows offshore developers to submit applications for consent to extract fossil fuels in already licensed fields, including Rosebank and the Jackdaw gas field off Aberdeen.
The changes followed a Supreme Court ruling that emissions from burning fossil fuels must be considered when granting planning permission for new drilling sites. The case focused on an oil well in Surrey but had implications across the energy sector.
A subsequent challenge by Greenpeace and Uplift over Rosebank and Jackdaw approvals was upheld at Edinburgh's Court of Session in January. The campaigners argued that environmental impact assessments failed to account for downstream emissions from burning the extracted fuels.
Artist voices on climate action
Producer Brian Eno, who co-founded Earth Percent, said musicians' creativity is "deeply connected to the state of the world around us". He described continued oil and gas expansion as "a huge threat to that world" and argued that 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," Eno said. "The Prime Minister must listen - reject Rosebank, and stop approving new oil and gas developments."
Campaign opposition grows
Cathy Runciman, co-executive director at Earth Percent, said "the creative community is clear: the Prime Minister must reject Rosebank and commit to a clean, fair transition that protects people and planet alike". Lauren MacDonald from Stop Rosebank noted that opposition has broadened since the field's 2023 approval, with artists representing "a creative community that understands what's at stake".
MacDonald argued that Rosebank "won't bring down bills, it won't boost UK energy security, and it won't create the sustainable future people across this country are calling for". A Department for Energy Security & Net Zero spokesperson responded that the Government's priority is "to deliver a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea in line with our climate and legal obligations".
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
