When Brian Eno pens an open letter, the creative world pays attention. This time, he’s rallied a heavyweight coalition - Robert Smith of The Cure, Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja, Lola Young, BICEP, Olly Alexander, Paloma Faith, and members of Radiohead - calling on UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to block the development of Rosebank, the country’s largest undeveloped oil and gas field.

Rosebank, 80 miles off Shetland, isn’t just an energy project. To these artists, it’s a cultural threat - one that puts climate commitments, creative livelihoods, and the UK’s credibility as a climate leader on the line. Their case: the expansion of fossil fuels jeopardises not just the planet, but the very spaces and conditions in which art is made.

📊 Supporting Stats

Scale of emissions: Rosebank’s reserves could release more CO₂ than the combined annual emissions of the world’s 28 lowest-income countries (EarthPercent, 2025).
Financial tilt: UK taxpayers would shoulder ~90% of development costs, while Norwegian state-owned Equinor - which made £62bn in 2022 and £29bn in 2023 - would take most of the profit.
Climate impact on culture: In 2024, Bonnaroo Festival was cancelled due to flooding; LA’s music community suffered mass displacement from wildfires earlier this year (Rolling Stone UK).
Public sentiment: 76% of Britons support prioritising renewable energy over new fossil fuel projects (YouGov, 2024).

🧠 Decision: Did It Work?

From a cultural strategy perspective, yes - the move lands.
This isn’t just celebrity activism; it’s a targeted, values-led intervention that bridges climate science with creative industry stakes. By framing climate change as a direct threat to cultural spaces and artistic livelihoods, Eno and co. shift the conversation from “environmental policy” to “creative survival.” That’s a potent reframing for audiences that might feel distant from oil policy debates but deeply connected to music, art, and festivals.

However, there’s a trade-off: this letter sits squarely in a politically loaded space. While it energises climate-conscious fans, it risks being dismissed by opponents as “musicians meddling in politics” - a familiar tension when artists wade into policy debates.

📌 Key Takeouts

What happened: Brian Eno orchestrated an open letter to PM Keir Starmer, co-signed by major UK and international musicians, urging rejection of the Rosebank oil field.
What worked:
- Star power amplified the issue beyond the usual climate campaign audiences.
- Clear linking of climate change to cultural infrastructure gave the argument emotional and economic weight.
- Credible, data-backed arguments on emissions, subsidies, and economic benefit.

🔮 What We Can Expect Next

If Starmer rejects Rosebank, it would be a symbolic win for climate campaigners - but more importantly, a signal that cultural influence can sway hard policy. Expect more artist-led activism targeting infrastructure projects, particularly when the link to cultural survival is clear.