Campaigners hail ‘seismic shift’ as London’s Science Museum drops oil giant Equinor as sponsor
Global fossil fuel giant Equinor has sponsored the Science Museum’s interactive ‘Wonderlab’ since 2016. But the relationship is coming to a close over the sponsor’s environmental record. Climate change campaigners are seeing the move as a major victory.
The London museum said its decision to drop Equinor as a sponsor relates to the fact that the energy giant has failed to reduce carbon emissions sufficiently to ensure it is supporting the 2015 Paris agreement goal of limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The sponsorship agreement had been controversial because of Equinor’s role in Rosebank, the biggest undeveloped oil and gas field in the North Sea. The company also inserted a clause that prevented museum staff from making comments that could damage the reputation of Equinor.
Science Museum urged to drop BP, Adani as sponsors
“The partnership concludes with our warm appreciation and with our ongoing encouragement to Equinor to continue to raise the bar in their efforts to put in place emissions reduction targets aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5C,” a Science Museum spokesperson said.
In emails disclosed under Freedom of Information legislation, the museum director, Sir Ian Blatchford told Equinor that the oil giant was in breach of the museum’s promise to ensure its sponsors complied with the 2015 Paris agreement.
The London museum has also confirmed that sponsors in breach of climate commitments and unable to change course are also likely to face gradual disengagement. The museum is under pressure to also drop oil giant BP and Indian coal-mining conglomerate Adani as sponsors.
‘False narrative that sponsors are leading energy transition’
Climate change campaigners hailed the decision to end sponsorship deals. Co-director of Culture Unstained Chris Garrard called it a “seismic shift”. He has been campaigning against the fossil fuel sponsorship of the Science Museum.
“Yet rather than proudly telling the world that it took action because its sponsor was flouting climate targets backed by governments around the world, the museum continues to push the false narrative that its polluting sponsors are leading the energy transition,” Garrard added.
Climate change has turned into one of the biggest threats humans have ever faced. Greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels have been raising temperatures globally. There is a looming possibility of 2024 becoming the hottest year on record.
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