Already, it’s crystal clear this will be a landmark year. A decade since the Paris Agreement, a pact forged with the hope of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees – a threshold that we surpassed last year. Five years on from a global pandemic that shook us to our core and redefined “normal.”
You don’t need me to tell you that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat; it’s unfolding before our eyes, and the urgency for action has never been greater. We’ve witnessed the fragility of our industry, the precariousness of our livelihoods. But we’ve also seen the extraordinary resilience and adaptability of the human spirit. We know we can overcome challenges, and we know we can build a better future.
You may find solace in the fact that we do have many of the answers, solutions, and toolkits. Of course, there will always be more work to do. Ongoing assessment and innovation are key for us to understand how much progress is being made. With new CSRD legislation on the horizon, the industry will need to get better at reporting, but largely… we’re in a position where it is much more about implementing what we already know.
The opportunity to make positive and very necessary change relies on individual and collective action. Every decision, action, and voice matters. We’ve seen the impact of direct action with last year’s boycotts and protests. Irrespective of your stance, it served as a vital reminder that we are powerful, and when we collaborate, we are highly effective. Whether we realise it or not, through action and inaction, we all influence the organisations we work with, the people around us, the venues we perform in, artists we work with, and festivals we attend.
For instance, the live music sector is capable of reducing single-use plastics, advocating for environmentally responsible audience travel, and dramatically reducing meat and dairy consumption, all with relative ease. We know this because we have an ever-growing number of examples where this has been done. These actions are also all increasingly high priorities and frequent expectations of artists and audiences.
“We have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to drive the adoption of these solutions for meaningful change in our everyday lives”
And the industry wants these changes, too. We have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to drive the adoption of these solutions for meaningful change in our everyday lives. We know very well that the vast majority of people want to see this happen, as research and data from the likes of the United Nations and Our World in Data shows.
Initiatives like the 2020 The Show Must Go On Report (currently under revision) and the More Than Music Report are paving the way, providing oversight and guidance for a more sustainable music industry. A testament to our combined power.
As impact consultant at LIVE Green, I see firsthand the transformative potential of simple yet powerful tools like sustainability clauses for artist contracts. Empowering artists to advocate for environmentally conscious choices and influencing key impact areas such as catering, energy, waste, travel, and merch. There are plenty of resources to help achieve the goals that the clauses refer to, that we know industry, artists, and fans want to see.
A sustainable future for our industry is not a pipe dream; it’s tangible and available. We have the knowledge, innovation, and collective will to make significant adjustments. Let’s embrace the challenge and never stop pushing for progress.
Actions You Can Take
Contracts: Incorporate sustainability clauses into your contracts to drive tangible environmental action.
Food: The livestock industry is the fourth major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Encourage plant-based catering options at events and on tours.
Energy: Switch to renewable energy suppliers.
Transport: Prioritise trains over planes whenever possible. Encourage audience use of public transport.
Engagement: Empower fans to make sustainable choices by providing clear information and incentives.
Money: Look at ethical bank, pension, and investment options that do not fund fossil fuel interests, the weapons trade, etc.
Measure: Power, fuel, water, waste, food. Share this data when asked. Understanding this is essential to benchmarking and understanding reductions.
Mobilise: Show up and be passionate about seeing changes being made within your organisation.
Take action in whatever way you can and enjoy contributing to a growing movement of change makers leading the way to a better future for our industry.
Ross Patel is impact consultant at LIVE Green and a passionate advocate for sustainable living and social impact.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
The urgency for action has never been greater
LIVE Green impact consultant and sustainability advocate Ross Patel makes a case for everyone to battle the climate crisis
12 Mar 2025
Already, it’s crystal clear this will be a landmark year. A decade since the Paris Agreement, a pact forged with the hope of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees – a threshold that we surpassed last year. Five years on from a global pandemic that shook us to our core and redefined “normal.”
You don’t need me to tell you that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat; it’s unfolding before our eyes, and the urgency for action has never been greater. We’ve witnessed the fragility of our industry, the precariousness of our livelihoods. But we’ve also seen the extraordinary resilience and adaptability of the human spirit. We know we can overcome challenges, and we know we can build a better future.
You may find solace in the fact that we do have many of the answers, solutions, and toolkits. Of course, there will always be more work to do. Ongoing assessment and innovation are key for us to understand how much progress is being made. With new CSRD legislation on the horizon, the industry will need to get better at reporting, but largely… we’re in a position where it is much more about implementing what we already know.
The opportunity to make positive and very necessary change relies on individual and collective action. Every decision, action, and voice matters. We’ve seen the impact of direct action with last year’s boycotts and protests. Irrespective of your stance, it served as a vital reminder that we are powerful, and when we collaborate, we are highly effective. Whether we realise it or not, through action and inaction, we all influence the organisations we work with, the people around us, the venues we perform in, artists we work with, and festivals we attend.
For instance, the live music sector is capable of reducing single-use plastics, advocating for environmentally responsible audience travel, and dramatically reducing meat and dairy consumption, all with relative ease. We know this because we have an ever-growing number of examples where this has been done. These actions are also all increasingly high priorities and frequent expectations of artists and audiences.
And the industry wants these changes, too. We have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to drive the adoption of these solutions for meaningful change in our everyday lives. We know very well that the vast majority of people want to see this happen, as research and data from the likes of the United Nations and Our World in Data shows.
Initiatives like the 2020 The Show Must Go On Report (currently under revision) and the More Than Music Report are paving the way, providing oversight and guidance for a more sustainable music industry. A testament to our combined power.
As impact consultant at LIVE Green, I see firsthand the transformative potential of simple yet powerful tools like sustainability clauses for artist contracts. Empowering artists to advocate for environmentally conscious choices and influencing key impact areas such as catering, energy, waste, travel, and merch. There are plenty of resources to help achieve the goals that the clauses refer to, that we know industry, artists, and fans want to see.
A sustainable future for our industry is not a pipe dream; it’s tangible and available. We have the knowledge, innovation, and collective will to make significant adjustments. Let’s embrace the challenge and never stop pushing for progress.
Actions You Can Take
Contracts: Incorporate sustainability clauses into your contracts to drive tangible environmental action.
Food: The livestock industry is the fourth major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Encourage plant-based catering options at events and on tours.
Energy: Switch to renewable energy suppliers.
Transport: Prioritise trains over planes whenever possible. Encourage audience use of public transport.
Engagement: Empower fans to make sustainable choices by providing clear information and incentives.
Money: Look at ethical bank, pension, and investment options that do not fund fossil fuel interests, the weapons trade, etc.
Measure: Power, fuel, water, waste, food. Share this data when asked. Understanding this is essential to benchmarking and understanding reductions.
Mobilise: Show up and be passionate about seeing changes being made within your organisation.
Take action in whatever way you can and enjoy contributing to a growing movement of change makers leading the way to a better future for our industry.
Ross Patel is impact consultant at LIVE Green and a passionate advocate for sustainable living and social impact.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
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