Climate Activists ‘Occupy’ Science Museum Over Fossil Fuel Sponsorship | London

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Youth climate activists have occupied the Science Museum in London to protest its sponsorship deals with fossil fuel companies.

Members of the London chapter of the UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN London) said they were holding a candlelight vigil at the famous landmark on Tuesday night for “the victims of the museum’s fossil fuel sponsors: Shell, BP, Equinor and Adani”.

The group planned to stay overnight, posting photos to Twitter showing sleeping bags scattered across the museum’s Kensington building.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were present and no arrests were made.

The demonstration comes after the Science Museum last week announced a new gallery called Energy Revolution: The Adani Green Energy Exhibition, which is backed by a subsidiary of the Adani Group.

Adani is a multinational company engaged in coal mining and coal-fired power plants.

Biologist Dr Alexander Benson, who took part in the sit-in, said it was “appalling” that the museum would continue to sponsor fossil fuels and start a new relationship with Adani.

In a live Instagram video by UKSCN London from inside the museum, he said: “The way they tell it is that they work with the company’s green energy arm and then forget about the coal.

Candlelight vigil at the Science Museum. The group said they planned to stay overnight at the museum. Photo: UKSCN / Twitter

“We can all agree that we need new green infrastructure, that we need green jobs…but then you can’t forget about the dirty infrastructure we need for retirement.”

The museum has also faced criticism for its partnership with Shell to fund the Our Future Planet exhibition on carbon capture and storage, and nature-based solutions to the climate crisis.

The agreement with the fossil fuel company included a silencing clause, obligating the museum not to say anything that would damage Shell’s reputation.

UKSCN activists attempted to spend the night at the museum in June to protest the Shell sponsorship, but abandoned the move when they were threatened with arrest by police officers.

The group has also previously organized demonstrations outside the Science Museum, along with activists from the environmental insurgency Extinction Rebellion.

17-year-old Innes, a member of UKSCN London, said: “We are less than a week away from the start of Cop26. Now is the time to abolish fossil fuel companies, not collaborate with them or invite them into our cultural spaces.

Senior management and the Science Museum board have shut down any attempt to strike up a conversation with young activists and scientists.

“In the meantime, they are welcoming some of the worst perpetrators of the climate crisis with open arms…The Science Museum needs to seriously rethink sponsorship deals before it loses what remains of its credibility and legitimacy as a scientific institution.”

The occupiers negotiated with museum staff to move them from the building’s second floor to the Energy Hall near the main entrance so they could access the toilets overnight, they said in a video posted on Twitter.

UKSCN London had earlier tweeted that the institution was “denying us access to basic safety and hygiene by closing toilets and refusing to provide us with safe, hygienic and dignified toilet facilities”.

The Science Museum has been contacted for comment.

In a press release to announce the new Energy Revolution exhibit, scheduled to open in 2023, the museum said it would examine “how the world can go through the fastest energy transition in history to reduce climate change.”

“We are very grateful to Adani Green Energy for the significant financial support they are providing for this exhibition,” said Ms. Mary Archer, Head of the Science Museum Collection.

A Met spokesperson said: “At approximately 17:40 on Tuesday, October 26, police were informed of a protest inside and outside a museum on Exhibition Street, SW7.

Officers are still present and communicating with the protesters. There were no arrests.”

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