The Office's Rainn Wilson has changed his name to highlight climate emergency

The Office star Rainn Wilson has changed his name as part of a campaign to highlight climate change - and it’s a bit of a mouthful.

The 56-year-old star has thrown his support behind climate change awareness group Arctic Basecamp, of which he is a board member, to coincide with the United Nations COP 27 meeting that is currently being held in Egypt.

Wilson announced his new name in a video in which he insists climate change is ‘no joke’ - you can see him introduce his new name and his reasons for doing so here:

In the clip, he explains: “With the help of my scientist friends at Arctic Basecamp, I’ve changed my name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson. This is not a joke, I’m as serious as the melting Arctic, which amplifies global risks including extreme weather events around the globe.

“I’m hoping this name change brings attention to this growing… er, melting issue. We need world leaders at COP27 to take notice and take action. The Arctic is melting at millions of litres per second, yet this problem can’t seem to make a name for itself, so it’s up to us to make a name for it.”

Arctic Basecamp

Wilson also encouraged others to change their name on the ArcticRiskName.org website and then use their new name on social media as a way to raise awareness for the cause.

Arctic Basecamp is led by a team of Arctic scientists and experts in their field and - as the name suggests - the team have an actual basecamp set up in the Arctic, where they carry out research about the climate crisis.

Professor Gail Whiteman, founder of Arctic Basecamp and Professor of Sustainability at the University of Exeter Business School, told Deadline that the world leaders attending COP27 need to be aware of the implications for the rest of the world is the Arctic melts.

Sipa US / Alamy Stock Photo

She explained: “The Arctic is warming up to four times faster than the global average, and rapid Arctic warming exacerbates catastrophic and costly global risks including extreme weather events, threats to food and water security, sea level rise and supply chain disruption around the world.

“The Arctic is melting before our eyes, and since this global problem can’t make a name for itself, let’s all do our part – I will be changing my name today, and I encourage you to do the same!”

Topics: Climate Change, Celebrity

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at UNILAD who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats.