The recipient of an extraordinary literary double has expressed his decision not to accept his recent £50,000 award until the sponsor reveals a strategy to decrease its “involvement in fossil fuel extraction”.
Richard Flanagan has been announced as the winner of the 2024 Baillie Gifford Prize for his memoir Question 7 – a decade after securing the Booker Prize for his fiction work, The Narrow Road To The Deep North.
At 63 years old, he is the first writer to claim both prestigious prizes.
While expressing gratitude for the prize, Flanagan stated in his prize acceptance speech that his conscience compelled him to raise concerns about the dangers of climate change despite not wanting to criticize the investment firm that sponsors the award.
Flanagan won the prize for his memoir, Question 7. Pic: Baillie Gifford/PA
Flanagan, currently on a trek in the Tasmanian rainforest, delivered his speech through a pre-recorded message screened at the awards ceremony in London.
“In times of hardship for writers, the sponsorship by Baillie Gifford holds significance as it sustains not only this prize but also literature in the country, for which I am thankful,” he expressed.
“Nevertheless, I am troubled by the looming threat of the climate crisis to the very rainforests and heathlands where I find myself tonight, unique habitats endangered by the crisis.”
He emphasized the necessity of addressing the impact of fossil fuels on his homeland in the spirit of his book.
Earlier this year, Baillie Gifford faced backlash when 50 writers, along with climate activists, threatened to boycott events sponsored by the firm in 2024.
Hay Festival was among events that pulled out of sponsorship deals. Pic: Robert Melen/Shutterstock
Several book festivals and arts events terminated their collaborations with Baillie Gifford, including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Hay Festival, and Wigtown Book Festival.
In his address, Flanagan further stated that the “world is complex, these matters are difficult, none of us are clean, all of us are complicit”, emphasizing the need for reducing the company’s direct investments in fossil fuel extraction despite their current minimal levels.
He expressed his desire to engage in dialogue with the company’s board to discuss the impacts of fossil fuels on his country, acknowledging the complexities of the situation.
“No one tonight should view my words as an attack on Baillie Gifford, rather as a plea for constructive actions based on their good intentions,” he concluded.
The writer concluded by urging Baillie Gifford to follow through on their commitment to shunning hydrocarbons by outlining a plan to diminish their already limited investments in fossil fuels and escalate investments in renewable energy.
He made it clear that he would delay accepting the prize money until such a plan was made public.
In response to Flanagan’s statement, a spokesman for Baillie Gifford congratulated him on his achievements and expressed eagerness to continue discussions with him.