A SCOTTISH author led a walkout of her own event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in protest against the sponsor’s links to fossil fuels.
Michaela Loach, who penned a book on climate change, staged the walkout after Greta Thunberg cancelled her appearance over the row and 100 authors wrote to festival bosses calling on them to drop sponsor Baillie Gifford.
The row erupted after Thunberg criticised the investment firm and accused the festival of “greenwashing”.
While the festival defended its sponsor as only having a small percentage invested in fossil fuels, the authors pointed out that this still equated to £5 billion worth of investment.
Loach was joined by two other authors, Jessica Gaitan Johannesson and Mohamed Tonsy, in the walkout on Saturday, the opening day of the festival.
The Scottish author was scheduled to speak at the festival about her book It's Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World.
The event, titled Changing the Climate Narrative, was billed as an inspiring discussion about how it’s not too late to enact change amid the climate crisis.
Mid-way through the panel, Loach was asked about what actions people can take to help tackle the climate crisis.
Loach stopped the conversation and unveiled a banner on stage that read “You wouldn’t burn books. Don’t burn the planet. Drop Baillie Gifford.”
“While Baillie Gifford has major investments in fossil fuel companies, they should not be sponsoring, or being able to be greenwashed by a cultural festival which is about ideas and imagination,” she said.
“Companies like Baillie Gifford want a ‘social licence’ - a pass we give companies or institutions to allow them to continue to exist.
“We don't realise we're giving it to them, but depending on who they align themselves with, we think they’re either not bad, are good or are even necessary.
“While they have nearly £5 billion invested in companies that profit from fossil fuels, sponsoring events where climate activists like me are speaking is nothing more than greenwash”.
Loach then led the authors and around 180 audience members out of the event.
The group congregated outside, continuing to chant “Baillie Gifford’s got to go”, and were reportedly met with support from audience members, festival staff and passers-by.
“Baillie Gifford’s whopping £5 billion in investments in corporations making money from the fossil fuel industry is unjustifiable in a climate crisis caused and exacerbated by these same companies who have invested more into climate denial and delay than they have into green energy,” Loach said after the stunt.
“Edinburgh International Book festival must stand by their ‘Climate Positive’ commitment and drop Baillie Gifford as a sponsor unless they stop fossil fuel companies.”
The book festival is now facing increasing pressure to drop Baillie Gifford as a sponsor.
Yara Rodrigues Fowler, author of There Are More Things, said: “This summer has been defined by global wildfires, flooding and extreme heat: the climate crisis is here.
“In the midst of climate breakdown, Baillie Gifford is investing almost £5 billion into the cause of this crisis: companies that profit from the fossil fuel industry.
“Edinburgh International Book festival allowing them to sponsor cultural events gives them a social license to continue funding the destruction of our only home.
“The book festival must adopt an ethical sponsorship policy and drop Baillie Gifford as a sponsor next year if they do not end these deadly investments.”
The Edinburgh International Book Festival has been contacted for comment.
