Reply To: Extinction Rebellion
We have criticised Extincton Rebellion on this thread for being naive in appealing to governments to do something capitalist economics means they can’t do (and, in my view, for exaggerating by talking of the extinction of the human species as an immediate prospect) but this criticism of them as a “capitalist scam” is way over the top. Presumably it comes from rival groups who with disagree with XR’s non-violent tactics and favour violent direct action.
I noticed that letter in the Times but it never occurred to me that this meant that certain business interests were behind XR. Rather, that it was certain business interests who were taking advantage of their naivety.
Anyway, for the record and so people can judge, here is the text of the letter published in the Times on 22 April under the headline “Business and the climate rebellion”:
Sir, The multimillion-pound costs that the Extinction Rebellion protests have imposed on business are regrettable, as is the inconvenience to Londoners. But future costs imposed on our economies by the climate emergency will be many orders of magnitude greater.
Contrary to belief, there is business support for the Extinction Rebellion (XR) agenda. Hard pressure drives change, but even the most committed businesses will need time to respond. We welcome the news that Extinction Rebellion is evolving a new platform, XR Business, to engage business leaders, investors and advisers. To drive things forward, the idea is to convene a meeting of XR activists and experts with business leaders and influencers. Most businesses were not designed in the context of the developing climate emergency. Hence we must urgently redesign entire industries and businesses, using science-based targets. To kickstart the process, businesses should make a declaration that we face a climate emergency and organise a session at a full board meeting to consider the case for urgent action. We will encourage the senior management teams of which we are part to do likewise.
Bevis Watts, managing director, Triodos Bank UK; Christopher Davis, chief sustainability officer, The Body Shop International; Seb Beloe, partner, WHEB Asset Management; Paul Polman, former CEO, Unilever; Sir Tim Smit, founder, Eden Project; John Elkington, co-founder, Volans Ventures Plus a further 17 signatories at thetimes.co.uk/letters
I would see setting up “XR Business” as another sign of their naivety rather than them being a “capitalist scam”.