The Science Museum wants their plastic samples. They refused

After learning of his contract with Shell at the Gündoğdu Museum, he began to reconsider his decision. He emailed the curator on Nov. 5 to inform him — because of the museum’s association with Shell — that he would not provide samples for the collection. “I am trying to learn about climate change and the impact of climate change and how to help people fight this issue,” says Gündoğdu. He says sending his samples to the Science Museum would contradict that message.

But museum officials say Shell’s protection has no effect when he collects or displays the artifacts. “We strongly reject the false accusation that our curators are hindering their vital role in an expert, independent and thorough manner,” says a spokesman for the Science Museums Group. The spokesperson added that the museum has full editorial control over the content of its exhibitions and galleries and would not accept any relationship that would limit it from fulfilling its role of collecting material or producing exhibitions.

“Curators often discuss with current research scientists to help identify the right items to acquire. This is just the beginning of a long process that includes in-depth discussions and in-depth research before making a formal purchase,” says Tilly Blyth, head of collections and Science The museum’s chief curators. “We respect the right of every person to decide whether or not to collaborate with us by providing items for the national collection.”

Shell has denied that sponsoring the exhibition on climate change undermines the independence of the Science Museum. “We fully respect the independence of the museum. That’s why we have exhibitions on carbon capture issues and why we helped him. Discussion and debate — among anyone who sees it — is essential, ”says a Shell spokesman. In 2020, greenhouse gas emissions reported by Shell were added 1.380 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents — more than four times Annual UK emissions. Depending on the environment charity Client Earth, Shell’s projected emissions between 2018 and 2030 alone will account for nearly 1.6% of the global carbon budget, which is the amount of carbon that can be released into the atmosphere by keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Science Museum has been embroiled in several controversies over Shell’s sponsorship of the Our Future Planet exhibition, which runs until September 2022. The exhibition focuses on technologies, among others. carbon capture and tree planting“He might be used to it.” remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but the protection has attracted harsh criticism for allegedly greening Shell’s important contribution to the climate crisis. Extraction and burning of fossil fuels is the most important cause of global warming.

In September, the Science Museum said it would remove from the exhibit a poster created by a student for a March 2019 climate protest. The poster was put together after a march in London, where about 10,000 young people gathered to protest against the government’s lack of action against the climate. change. The decision to remove the poster was made in the wake of a decision open letter From the UK Student Climate Network, he called for the removal of the poster because the young people who donated it were unaware of Shell’s support.