Authors back Extinction Rebellion 'hypocrites' letter

Authors Ian McEwan, Michael Morpugo, Jeanette Winterson and Neil Gaiman are among the more than 100 prominent names who have signed an open letter to the media in support of Extinction Rebellion's climate concerns. 

In the letter, the authors accuse the media of ignoring climate change and instead choosing to write about the hypocrisy of their “high carbon” lives.

The letter reads: “Dear journalists who have called us hypocrites, You’re right. We live high carbon lives and the industries that we are part of have huge carbon footprints. Like you – and everyone else – we are stuck in this fossil-fuel economy and without systemic change, our lifestyles will keep on causing climate and ecological harm. There is, however, a more urgent story that our profiles and platforms can draw attention to.

It continues: “The media exists to tell the public the truth. Right now there has never been a more urgent need for you to educate yourselves on the CEE (Climate and Ecological Emergency) and to use your voices to reach new audiences with the truth.”

Also signing the letter are actors Jude Law and Benedict Cumberbatch, comedians Steve Coogan and Ruby Wax, lawyer Helena Kenney, artist Grayson Perry, musicians Jarvis Cocker and Bob Geldof, and many more.

Last week (11th October), 35 novelists, poets and non-fiction writers including Simon Schama, Ali Smith and Robert MacFarlane took part in a marathon reading event in Trafalgar Square, site of the Extinction Rebellion protest, on behalf of Extinction Rebellion’s Writers Rebel group.