Bicep, SHERELLE, Brian Eno, among 100-plus UK artists to sign EarthPercent letter rejecting Rosebank oil field

Over 100 UK artists have signed an open letter rejecting the UK’s proposed Rosebank oil field.

Bicep, SHERELLE, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip, Brian Eno, Confidence Man, Daniel Avery, Moxie, HAAi, Shanti Celeste, Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall of Massive Attack and many more have added their names to the letter, which is addressed to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband, the UK’s Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

The Rosebank oil and gas field is located about 80 miles west of Shetland and is the UK’s largest untapped oil field. In 2019, Norwegian energy company Equinor became Rosebank’s official operator, and in 2023, the Conservative government approved their application to start developing the field.

The letter urges the UK government to consider the “significant harm” that will result from the Rosebank project, arguing that rejecting the Rosebank oil field would be “a vital step towards climate justice”.

It continued: “Communities who have contributed least to the climate crisis, both historically and today, are bearing its most severe impacts: from rising sea levels and extreme heat to flooding, storms, and food insecurity.”

“The climate pollution from burning Rosebank’s 500 million barrels of oil and gas is incompatible with safe climate limits, and any new application to exploit Rosebank’s reserves must be refused.”

If the Rosebank project goes ahead, it is projected to emit more CO₂ in a single year than the world’s 28 lowest-income countries combined.

The open letter has been orchestrated by the Brian Eno-founded initiative EarthPercent and supported by the StopRosebank campaign.

Read the full letter and see the list of signatories here. Find out more about the Stop Rosebank campaign here.

Speaking in a press release, Brian Eno said: “As musicians and artists, our creativity is deeply connected to the state of the world around us. Being an advocate for greater climate action for many years, I feel deeply that the continued expansion of oil and gas, such as Rosebank, is a huge threat to that world.

“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. We have the tools and the knowledge to make the transition. The Prime Minister must listen – reject Rosebank, and stop approving new oil and gas developments.

“We work with musicians and artists across the creative sector at EarthPercent and Hard Art, and we stand together in calling for a just and sustainable future.”

In April, a collection of more than 30 artists, including Amelie Lens, I. JORDAN and Steve Angello, came together to mark Earth Day by incorporating the sounds of nature in their new music.

Meanwhile, Massive Attack are gearing up to host the “lowest carbon show of its size ever staged” at their upcoming ACT 1.5 gig in Bristol, which is due to take place at Bristol Downs on 25th August.

Read about the efforts of EarthPercent in Ibiza and the new generation of artists pledging a share of their income to protect the future of the island.