Celebrity backers of Extinction Rebellion admit ‘climate hypocrisy’

CELEBRITY supporters of Extinction Rebellion have written an open letter admitting that they are “hypocrites” for supporting the environmental protests despite living “high carbon lives”.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, musician Bob Geldof and Glastonbury festival organiser Emily Eavis are among 100 individuals who have acknowledged that their lifestyles and professional industries have contributed to the “climate emergency”.

But the letter said they would not be silenced by jibes from the media while people are “begging” them to use their power and influence to help bring about “systemic” change.

It comes after some stars with lucrative car sponsorship deals or frequent fliers were criticised for backing Extinction Rebellion’s two-week-long campaign of disruption in London that has grounded flights, blocked roads and taken up police time.

Part of 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.

“Climate change is happening faster and more furiously than was predicted; millions of people are suffering, leaving their homes and arriving on our borders as refugees.

“Alongside these people who are already paying the price for our fossil fuelled economy, there are millions of children … who are begging us, the people with power and influence, to stand up and fight for their already devastated future. We cannot ignore their call. Even if by answering them we put ourselves in your firing line.”

Other signatories include actors Peter Capaldi, Jude Law and Sienna Miller.

This summer, actress Dame Emma Thompson was forced to defend racking up her carbon footprint by flying from Los Angeles to London to join climate change protests.

Earlier this year, Sherlock star Cumberbatch was announced as the ambassador for the car brand MG, yet he joined Extinction Rebellion protesters for a sit-in at Trafalgar Square.

Meanwhile, several activists were arrested yesterday as they continued to flout a police ban which they are due to challenge in court today.