The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
SW1 2AA
30th September 2024
Dear Prime Minister,
Re: Doctors, farmers, bishops and academics join 250+ signatories urging you to put a stop to the controversial Rosebank oil field
We are writing to you on behalf of the movement which champions a move away from oil and gas production in the UK in favour of a fair and fast transition to renewable energy. From leading membership organisations to local groups covering all four nations, we are a vast network united in a positive vision of a just and fair renewable energy system, free from fossil fuels.
Together, we represent the campaign to Stop Rosebank which has brought together over 150,000 supporters and mobilised thousands of activists to push back against the disastrous decision taken by the previous government to approve Equinor’s climate-wrecking Rosebank oil field.
We welcome the government's agreement that the approval of Rosebank in 2023 was unlawful, recognising that the full extent of its climate impacts should have been taken into account. We also welcome the positive commitments made in Labour’s manifesto to “not issue new licences to explore new fields because they will not take a penny off bills, cannot make us energy secure, and will only accelerate the worsening climate crisis," and recent government announcements reinforcing this commitment. We further welcome the government’s intention to support oil and gas workers in the transition and look forward to celebrating the implementation of these commitments. Having campaigned under a government that had previously vowed to “max out North Sea oil and gas”, we share a sense of optimism that the future of energy production, and energy consumption, in this country is set to change under a new government.
The potential development of the Rosebank oil field has been seen by many as a litmus test for the previous government’s attitudes towards action to mitigate carbon emissions. It has commanded significant media and political attention since the campaign to stop Rosebank launched in 2022 with 64 mentions in parliament and frequent, prominent discourse about the field in national and international press. When Rosebank was approved in September 2023, thousands took to the streets in 40 protests across the UK, and the field has been publicly opposed by 700 scientists and experts, 200 organisations and celebrities, trade union leaders, 400 faith leaders, 40 MEPs and MPs from every major political party.
Rosebank is a case study for the urgency for oil and gas phase out:
People in the UK have voted for change, not more of the same rip off energy system where oil and gas companies walk off with massive profits, leaving us with higher bills, declining jobs and a worsening climate crisis.
The science is unequivocal about what will happen if we do not stop burning fossil fuels, and with a change in leadership, the UK now has every opportunity to act in the interests of a liveable future for the people of this country and the rest of the world. We applaud your decision to stop new licences, and now we ask that you continue taking real action on climate change:
We look forward to hearing from you,
Yours sincerely,
Individual signatories
1. Rowan Williams, Former Archbishop of Canterbury
2. Rt Revd Anne Hollinghurst, Bishop of Aston
3. Rt Revd Roger Morris, Bishop of Colchester
4. Rt Rev Sophie Jelley, Bishop of Doncaster
5. Rt Revd Canon Dr Anderson Jeremiah, Bishop of Edmonton
6. Rt Revd Canon Dr Jonathan Martin Gainsborough, Bishop of Kingston
7. Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield
8. Rt Revd Ian Paton, Bishop of St Andrews
9. Giles Goddard, Vicar, St John's Waterloo
10. Columba Timmins, Environmental lead, Hallam Diocese
11. Deborah Rowlands, Clerk, Quakers South Wales
12. Gillian Cummins, Music Teacher, The Iona Community
13. Dr Christoffer van Tulleken, NHS Doctor, Food systems academic, UCL
14. Dr Martha Kenyon, Clinical Psychologist, Bristol Children's Hospital
15. Dr Joanne Breckenridge, Consultant Anaesthetist, NHS Lanarkshire
16. Samantha Holmes, Clinical Fellow, NHS
17. Sophie Littlejohns, Psychotherapist, Collaborative Counselling Academy
18. Anne Barnes, Retired Specialist, NHS
19. Julie White, GP, Norfolk Medical Practice
20. Katharine Pelton, Research Engagement Nurse, Yorkshire & Humber Clinical Research Network
21. Candida Lewis, GP, Mid Sussex Health Care
22. Dr Abigail Fry, Senior GP partner, Mile Oak Medical Centre
23. Margaret Jackson, GP Educator, Health Education England
24. Etienne Stott MBE, Olympic gold medalist, London 2012
25. Dr Chris Evans, Professor, University of Roehampton
26. Prof Angela Alexander, Professor Emerita, University of Reading
27. Peter Somerville, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, University of Lincoln
28. Rob French, Former President, University of Sussex UCU
29. Linda Morris, Retired Principal Geologist, Laudato Si Animator UK
30. Martin Jarvis, Laudato Si Animator UK
Civil society groups and other bodies
31. Dr Halima Begum, CEO, Oxfam GB
32. Areeba Hamid, Co-Executive Director, Greenpeace UK
33. Isabella O’Dowd, Head of Climate, WWF UK
34. Dan Paskins, Executive Director, Save the Children
35. Chris Venables, Director of politics, Green Alliance
36. Helen Browning, Chief Executive, The Soil Association
37. Caroline Rance, Fossil Fuel Transition Manager, Friends of the Earth Scotland
38. Rosie Downes, Head of Campaigns, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and NI
39. Neil Thorns, Director of Advocacy, CAFOD
40. Helen Meech, Executive Director, The Climate Coalition
41. Catherine Pettengell, Executive Director, Climate Action Network UK
42. Hugo Tagholm, Executive Director, Oceana UK
43. Claire Larkin, Director, Parents For Future, Scotland
44. Charlotte Howell-Jones, Co-Director, Parents for Future, UK
45. Ed Matthew, Campaigns Director, E3G
46. Nick Dearden, Director, Global Justice Now
47. Steve North, President, UNISON
48. Nicolò Wojewoda, Europe Regional Director, 350.org
49. Tessa Khan, Founder and Executive Director, Uplift
50. Ruth London, Director, Fuel Poverty Action
51. Richard Benwell, CEO, Wildlife & Countryside Link
52. Alice Harrison, Head of Fossil Fuels, Global Witness
53. Frode Pleym, Director, Greenpeace Norway
54. Karoline Andaur, CEO, WWF Norway
55. Lauren MacDonald, Campaign Lead, Stop Rosebank
56. Mel Kee, Head of Campaigns, Green New Deal Rising
57. Elizabeth Bast, Executive Director, Oil Change International
58. Miranda Irwin, Extinction Rebellion
59. Roc Sandford, Director, Ocean Rebellion
60. Patrick Brown, Campaigns & Operations Director, Equal Right
61. Emma River-Roberts, Director, The Working Class Climate Alliance
62. Maya Mailer, Co-founder, Mothers Rise Up
63. Suzanne Jeffery, Chair, Campaign against Climate Change
64. Louise Hazan, Co-Director, Tipping Point UK
65. Frances Fox, Founder & UK Director, Climate Live
66. Ruby Earle, Just Transition Campaigns Lead, Platform
67. Dr Malcolm White, Clean Air Specialist, Global Action Plan
68. Finlay Asher, Co-founder, Safe Landing
69. Henna Cheema, Co-Director, Biofuelwatch
70. Carol Mills, Editor, Eastbourne Solidarity
71. Elizabeth Anderson, Director, What a Wonderful World Trust
72. Jessica Gottsleben, Executive Director and Founder, Cyber x Climate
73. Max Wakefield, Co-director, Possible
74. Michael Kakande , Founder & Chairperson, Resilient40
75. Angus O'Brien, National Coordinator, Climate Justice Coalition
76. Gosia Rychlik, Europe Branch Manager, The Climate Reality Project Europe
77. Simon Taylor, Co-Founder & Director, Hawkmoth
78. Stephen Wood, Coordinator, Tools For Solidarity
79. Veronica Wignall, Co -Director, Adfree Cities
80. Stephanie Brancaforte, Executive Director, Rinascimento Green
81. Steven Vanholme, Programme manager, EKOenergy ecolabel
82. Frances Guy, CEO, Scotland's International Development Alliance
83. Mike Nickerson, Executive Director, Seventh Generation Initiative
84. Aileen McLeod, Director, Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland
85. Michael Barkley, Co-Chair, Climate Action for Lifelong Learners
86. Fran Boait, Co-executive Director, Positive Money
87. Jill Kent, Chair, Justice and Peace Scotland
88. Merry Dickinson, Lead Campaigner, Stop Burning Trees Coalition
89. Shivali Fifield, Chief Officer, Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland
90. David Phillips, Executive Director, International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute
91. Thomas Meinert Larsen, Spokesperson, 350 Climate Movement of Denmark
92. Lobby Watchdog, Corporate Europe Observatory
93. Sam Ward, Head of Climate Cymru, Climate Cymru
94. Kjell Kühne, Director, Leave it in the Ground Initiative
95. Moses Amagbor Johnson, CEO, Baruch Initiative for Transformation
96. Vicky Moller, Director, GRWP Resilience
97. Anna Krajinska, UK Director, Transport & Environment UK
98. David Starley, Director, The Green Runners CIC
99. Rhian Corcoran, Centre Manager, The Environment Centre
100. Emma Knight, Vice-Chair, FAN Community Alliance
101. Margaret Minhinnick, Director, Sustainable Wales
102. Lauren MacCallum, CEO, Protect Our Winters UK
103. Fiona McOwan, Secretary, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
104. Ellie Wyatt, Founder, Eco Action Families
105. Duncan Pruett, Executive Director, Recourse
106. Hayley Morgan, Chief Executive, Welsh Centre for International Affairs
107. Giselle Munno, Lawyer, Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Argentina
108. Robert Sage, Director, The Bottega Project CIC
109. Maya Golden-Krasnerm, Climate Institute, Dep. Director, Center for Biological Diversity
110. Sarah Rees, Chair, Stop Climate Chaos Cymru
111. Mike Robinson, Chair, Stop Climate Chaos, Scotland
112. Suzanne Iuppa, Director, The Coproduction Network for Wales
113. Sujatha Thaladi, Director, The Mentor Ring
114. David Thorpe, Director, The One Planet Centre
115. Stephen Jenkins, Director, Tir Natur
116. Vilma Havas, Board member, Nordic Ocean Watch
117. Kate Metcalf, Co-Director, Women's Environmental Network
118. Susan Cueva, Trustee, Southeast and East Asian Women's Association
119. Asad Rehman, Executive Director, War on Want
120. Mamta Borgoyary, Executive Director, SHE Changes Climate
121. Terry Lowman , Chair, Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community
122. Hannah Garcia, Director, Green Squirrel CIC
123. Dr Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director, Scientists for Global Responsibility
124. Claire Larkin, Director, Parents For Future Scotland
125. Alena Ivanova, Campaigns Director, Another Europe is Possible
126. Satwat Rehman, CEO, One Parent Families Scotland
127. David Hillman, Director, Stamp Out Poverty
128. Oliver Sidorczuk, Co-Director, Zero Hour
129. Mel Kee, Head of Campaigns, Green New Deal Rising
130. Neal Lawson, Executive Director, Compass
131. Will Attenborough, Climate Finance Strategist, Coal Action Network
132. Shivali Fifield, Chief Officer, Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland
133. Andrew Simms, Director, New Weather Institute
134. Jill Kent, Chair, Justice and Peace Scotland
135. Crissie Amiss, Project coordinator, Global Women Against Deportations
136. Jamie Agombar, Executive Director, SOS-UK
137. Alessandra Badino, Director, Blue Futures Studio
138. Rachel Hamada, Director, Take One Action Film Festivals
139. William Kinchin, Founder & Creative Director, Will Works
140. Heather Smith, Communications Director, 99% Organisation
141. Conor Curtis, Head of Communications, Sierra Club Canada
142. Mystaya Brémaud, Campaign Organiser, Teach the Future
143. John Woodhouse, Co-ordinator, Laudato Si’ Animators UK
144. George Dow, Chair, Green Christian
145. Julie Forchhammer, Co-founder, Klimakultur
146. Andrew Kroglund, Director, Besteforeldrenes klimaaksjon
147. Linda Rundquist Parr, Head of Board, Grandparents Climate Campaign Norway
148. Gytis Blaževičius, Leader, Natur og Ungdom
149. Audun Hammer Hovda, Leader, Socialist Youth
150. Marte Wulff, Founder, Spillerommet
151. Mark Francis, Local Groups Coordinator, Christian Climate Action
152. Revd Dr Darrell D Hannah, Chair, Operation Noah
153. Val Brown, Director, Christian Aid Scotland
154. Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith
155. Shanon Shah, Director, Faith for the Climate
156. Thea Ormerod, President, Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
157. Dr Kang-San Tan, General Director, BMS World Mission
158. Ben Wilson, Director of Public Engagement, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
159. Elaine Mulcahy, Director, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change
160. Marian Pallister, Chair, Pax Christi Scotland
161. Jane Harries, Co-Clerk, Quakers in Wales
162. Ruth Harding, Clerk, Cardiff Quakers
163. Rev Chris Hughes, Chair of the Hexham and Newcastle Diocesan Environmental
164. Robin Wells, Director, Fossil Free London
165. Anne Maclachlan, Treasurer, Climate Collective Oxford
166. North Sea Knitters
167. Chayley Collis, Campaign founder, Fossil Free West Yorkshire
168. Sonny Khan, Analyst, Net Zero South Wales
169. Prof John B Hunt, EDI Champion, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park
170. Dr K Fallon, Founder, Winsford Sustainability Partners
171. Caroline Townsend, Chair, Abingdon Carbon Cutters
172. Director, Steering Group, One Planet Abingdon Climate Emergency Centre
173. Lucy McQuillan, Director, Aberystwyth Nature Connection
174. Gabriel Davalos, Co-founder, Divest Hackney
175. Brian Heddwch, Director, Awel Amen Tawe
176. Jim Bowen, Director, Clynfyw Care Farm
177. Grant Peisley, Director, Datblygiadau Egni Gwledig
178. Dan McCallum, Director, Egni Cooperative
179. Ken Little, Chair, Pontypridd Land Society
180. Anne Miller, Chair, Carbon Neutral Cambridge
181. Tania Willis, Chair, Greener Berwick
182. Chris Pointon, Programme Lead, Cambridgeshire Climate Emergency
183. Zee-Zee Heine, Chair, Hope Valley Climate Action
184. Nicola Terry, Secretary, Transition Cambridge
185. Freya Aitchison, Co-Chair, Time for Change Argyll & Bute
186. Gill Westcott, Director, New Prosperity Devon
187. Luke Henderson, Coordinator, Edinburgh Climate Coalition
188. Tamasin Rhymes, Network Chair, Greener Greenwich Community Network
189. George Dow, Chair, Green Christian
190. Kathy Fallon, Co-ordinator, Health for Extinction Rebellion
191. TJ Chuah, Co-Director, Medact
192. Cllr Dr Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader, Climate & Environment, Oxfordshire County Council
193. Adri Hartveld, CEO, Healus Technology
194. Councillor Arnold Warneken, County Councillor, Yorkshire and Humber Green Party
195. Sarah Waite-Gleave, Coordinator, Dover and Deal Green Party
196. Sam Lee, Artistic Director, Singing With Nightingales
197. Callum Grieve, Co-founder, Campaign Collective
198. Lesli Tunbridge, Councillor, Glemsford Parish Council
199. Chloe Naldret, Coordinator, XR Bristol Families
200. Phillipa Gibson, Coordinator, XR Cardigan
201. Raeeka Yassaie, Organiser, XR Dacorum
202. David Tarn, Coordinator, XR Chesam
203. Jean-Pierre Ibucwa-Lipanda, Executive Director, Traffed, Democratic Republic of Congo
204. Virginia Bell, Coordinator, Catholic Action for Animals
205. Our Common Home Group
206. Wisdom De Costa, Director, A Star Accounting Services Ltd
207. Kaveh Kamooneh, COO, Better Solar Tomorrow Inc
208. Henry Collin, Director, Collin Consulting Ltd
209. Paul MacLean, President, EEM Impact Ltd
210. Julian Goode, Owner, Goode Walks
211. Ed Smith, Owner, Here Now Films
212. Padraic Boocock, CEO, KCC Services Ltd
213. Jessica Mann, Director, Miller Research Ltd
214. Chloe Masefield, Director, Natural Weigh - Zero Waste Shop
215. Sarah Charsley, Environment and Sustainability Advisor, Omexom
216. Rob Gardiner, Keep our NHS Public
217. Jules Wagstaff, Director, Climate and Community
218. Elizabeth Price, Coordinator, Extinction Rebellion Sheffield
219. Ru Hartwell, Founder, Climate Shop
220. Nicholas Robson, Chair, Cockermouth Climate Action Now
221. Grace Slater, Chair, Croydon Extinction Rebellion
222. Extinction Rebellion Families
223. Nicky Crosby, Coordinator, Extinction Rebellion Merseyside
224. Maren Hobein, Coordinator, Extinction Rebellion Waltham Forest
225. Jim Bowen, Director, Ffynnone Community Resilience
226. Hayley Richards, Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Pontypridd
227. Jane Thewlis, Member, Glocal Justice Bradford
228. Charlotte Smith, Chair, Greater Manchester Climate Justice Coalition
229. Linda Bacon, Coordinator, Greenpeace Merseyside
230. Grant Peisley, Director, Gwyrddni
231. Mike Eccles, CEO, Hay Public Library
232. Liverpool Friends of the Earth
233. Demi Taylor, Director, London Surf Film Festival
234. LSE Divest
235. Fiona Prior, CEO, Machard and Cree Valley Climate Action Network
236. Daniel Scharf, Director, One Planet Abingdon Climate Emergency Centre
237. Chris Church, Chair, Oxford Friends of the Earth
238. Susan O’Leary, Lead Coordinator, Parents for Future West London
239. Emma Dennett, Co-ordinator, Parents for Future Brighton
240. Tessa Lovell, Parents for Future Ceredigion
241. Joanne Moore, Group Coordinator, Parents for Future East London
242. Parents For Future Herts & Bucks
243. Catherine Percival, Local Coordinator, Parents for Future North Tyneside
244. Laura Kammonen, Coordinator, Parents for Future Cambridge and Ely
245. Lucie Brown, Parents for Future Stroud Co-Coordinator, Parents for Future Stroud
246. Eva Gallova, People’s Health Movement Scotland
247. Martha Camacho Rodriguez, Director, Social Eco Education
248. Julia Church, Parish Clerk, The Climate Party
249. Youth for Green Nature
250. Alan Munro, Founder & Director, Young Sea Changers Scotland
251. Jessica Townsend, Campaign Lead, MP Watch
