British Museum must sever its links with BPLetter from Margaret Atwood, Mark Ruffalo, Mark Rylance, Tom Kibble, Naomi Klein, Emma Thompson, Vivienne Westwood and others

The Great Court inside the British Museum in London. Photograph: John Walton/PALetters
Sunday 3 April 2016 16.00 BSTLast modified on Sunday 3 April 201622.00 BST
We congratulate Dr Hartwig Fischer on his new role as director of the British Museum (Profile, 1 April), and would like to take this early opportunity to raise an ethical issue of great concern to us all. As the impacts of climate change are being felt more forcefully around the world, it is vital that prominent public institutions like the British Museum play their part in minimising the environmental impacts of their activities.
BP’s sponsorship contract with the museum is coming to an end this year. While governments in Paris committed to transition away from fossil fuels, BP remains a barrier to progress. It is working to extract new sources of carbon-intensive oil from the tar sands, the Arctic and under the oceans, when we need to keep at least two thirds of known fossil fuels in the ground. BP’s business plan is incompatible with a stable climate, and the company is using its influence to lobby against effective climate policies.
Meanwhile, its operations are affecting lives and livelihoods across the world. The company was recently hit with the biggest criminal fine in US history for its gross negligence in causing the Deepwater Horizon spill.
To receive sponsorship from BP is to condone these business practices. Retaining such an unethical sponsor would seriously damage the British Museum’s reputation, and place it firmly on the wrong side of history. Indeed, Tate and BP have just parted company after 26 years, following intensifying protests and criticism. We urge Dr Fischer to follow Tate’s lead in not renewing this contract, and to seek funding from sources more in line with the museum’s values and what is needed to ensure a stable future.
Professor Anne Glover Vice-principal external affairs, University of Aberdeen, former chief scientific adviser to the European Commission
Margaret Atwood WriterMark Ruffalo Actor
Mark Rylance ActorDr Jane Goodall DBE Founder the Jane Goodall Institute, and UN messenger of peace
Sir Tom Kibble Emeritus professor of physics, Imperial College LondonNaomi Klein Author, activist and film-makerJeremy Leggett Author, solar entrepreneur and advocateRichard Horton Editor-in-chief, The LancetSimon Lewis Professor of global change science at UCLEmma Thompson ActorNaomi Oreskes Professor of the history of science, HarvardMark Goldring Chief executive, Oxfam GBDr Nick Winterbotham Director, BTC & Museums and Resilient Leadership; chair, RNLI Heritage Board
Mark Serwotka General secretary, PCS unionDame Vivienne Westwood DesignerBianca Jagger Founder and president of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights FoundationDr Chris Brierly Lecturer in climate modelling, UCLDr Philip Webber Chair, Scientists for Global ResponsibilityRichard Sandell Professor of museum studies, University of LeicesterCaryl Churchill PlaywrightJohn McDonnell MP Shadow chancellorJudith Knight Director, ArtsadminAnthony Roberts Director, Colchester Arts CentreSir Jonathon Porritt Environmentalist and writerDr Stephen Webster Director, Imperial College Science Communication Unit
Professor Hugh Montgomery Professor of Intensive Care Medicine; head of Centre for Human Health and Performance, UCL; Director of Research, Institute for Sport, Exercise and HealthDr Stuart Parkinson Executive director, Scientists for Global ResponsibilityGail Davies Professor in human geography, ExeterCaroline Lucas MPJenny Jones London Assembly memberAndrew Stirling Professor of science and technology policy, University of SussexJulian Sainsbury Chair of the JJ Charitable TrustBill McKibben Author, educator, environmentalist, and co-founder of 350.orgJulie Ward MEP Member of the European parliament’s culture and education committeeMiriam Margolyes Actor
Pasco-Q Kevlin Director, Norwich Arts CentreDavid Webb Professor emeritus, Leeds Beckett UniversityRichard Murphy Professor of practice in international political economy, City UniversityRobin Ince Comedian, broadcaster and writerAnthony Roberts Director, Colchester Arts CentreDr David McCoy Director of Medact and director of global health teaching, Queen Mary’s University LondonGavin Grindon Curator of “Disobedient Objects” at the V&A and director of the Centre for Curatorial Studies, University of EssexAlice Sharp Curator and director, Invisible DustSarah Butler-Sloss Chair of Ashden TrustSenator Larissa Waters Senator for Queensland, Australian Greens deputy leaderSibylle Peters Director, Theatre of Research/Fundus Theatre, HamburgBen Twist Director, Creative Carbon ScotlandCJ Mitchell Director, Live Art Development AgencyPeter Newell Professor of international relations, University of SussexAndrew Simms Author and co-director, New Weather InstituteAntony Partos ComposerJon Agar Professor of science and technology studies, UCLJonathan Oppenheim Professor of quantum theory and Royal Society university research fellow, UCLLois Keidan Director, Live Art Development AgencyLucy Neal Author, Playing for Time, and happiness associate, Happy Museum ProjectClara Paillard President of PCS Culture SectorDavid Boyle Co-director, New Weather Institute and authorDr Alice Bell Science writer and campaignerDr Andy Fugard Lecturer in educational psychology, UCLDr Chloe Preece Lecturer in marketing, Royal Holloway, University of London, School of ManagementDr Chris Garrard Composer and musicologistDr Jeremy Skipper Experimental psychologist, UCLDr Kate McMillan Teaching fellow in culture, media and creative industries, King’s College LondonDr Nigel Westlake Composer and conductorEdward Mortimer Former UN director of communicationsGill Lloyd Director, ArtsadminIndira Naidoo Australian TV broadcaster, author and environmentalistJane Greenfield Director, Home Live ArtJanna Graham Curator
Jen Kavanagh CuratorJohn Sauven Executive director, Greenpeace UKMark Sainsbury Chairman, Mark Leonard TrustMichael Kieran Harvey PianistMieke Bal Cultural theorist and video artist, AmsterdamRod Dixon Artistic director, Red Ladder Theatre CoThea Ormerod President, Australian Religious Response to Climate ChangeTim Hollo Musician, executive director of Green Music AustraliaTJ Demos Center for Creative Ecologies, UC Santa CruzJess Worth Art Not Oil coalitionJohn Collee Novelist and screenwriterWael Hmaidan Director, Climate Action Network InternationalDr Felicity Mellor Science Communication Unit, Imperial College LondonCressida Brown Artistic director, Offstage TheatreBeth Rice Progressive Science InstituteBrett Cottle CEO, Apra AmcosBridget McKenzie Director, Flow AssociatesDr Paula Serafini Doctor of social and cultural analysis, King’s College LondonDrew Pearce Progressive Science InstituteBenjamin Franta Research fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School of GovernmentGeoffrey Supran PhD candidate, Massachusetts Institute of Technologyhttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/03/british-museum-bp-sponsorship-hartwig-fischer-climate