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AGF unveils Europe’s greenest arenas

Several arenas and venues across the UK and Europe have earned A Greener Future (AGF) certification by demonstrating their commitment to sustainability in 2024.

These include London’s The O2 (cap. 20,000), Glasgow’s OVO Hydro (14,300), Hamburg’s Barclays Arena (15,000), Leeds’ first direct arena (13,781), Berlin’s Uber Arena (17,000) and Uber Eats Music Hall (4,500) and ABBA Voyage London (3,000).

The certification is awarded by A Greener Festival (AGF), a not-for-profit company and sustainability expert, dedicated to helping events, festivals, and venues around the world to become more sustainable.

“We’re really happy to see the increasing uptake of venues aspiring to be greener. What is most important are the actions these venues are taking to improve touring and their impacts on the local and global environment,” says AGF CEO Claire O’Neill.

“These venues have a significant platform which can influence and speed up the green transition of the event sector, something that we so urgently need to do.”

AGF Certification is the world’s first and most comprehensive standard for sustainability in the live events sector, for festivals, events and arenas, reducing waste, emissions, and enhancing equality and biodiversity.

The 5,147-capacity New Lawn Stadium in Gloucestershire, which primarily plays host to the Forest Green Rovers football club, reclaimed its ‘outstanding’ certification and staked its claim as the only venue to earn the distinction.

“Finding sustainable ways to execute live events is essential to the future of our industry”

“Forest Green Rovers are pleased to have once again achieved Outstanding in our annual AGF certification – which is surely the toughest standard in the world today. We were the first to achieve this level and are still the only one – we encourage all other arenas to up their game and join us in the stratosphere of greenness,” says Dale Vince, chairman of the club.

OVO Hydro and The O2 both earned ‘commended’ certifications, with the London arena having a bumper year full of new initiatives from pioneering carbon-removal events to optimising energy efficiency and improving waste management programmes.

“Finding sustainable ways to execute live events, that don’t compromise on the fan or artist experience, is essential to the future of our industry,” says Sam Booth, AEG Europe director of sustainability. “AEG Europe has made huge strides in driving the sustainability agenda in the live industry forward on a global scale, from hosting the world’s first carbon-removed arena events at The O2, to rolling out an in-house reusable cup system across our three German venues.

“We’re so proud to have our achievements across London’s The O2, Berlin’s Uber Arena and Uber Eats Music Hall, and Hamburg’s Barclays Arena recognised by A Greener Future, and are committed to innovating and building on this work as we continue on our path to net zero,” he adds.

“We can’t wait to get further initiatives in place in 2025 to help towards a more sustainable future”

Five venues took home the ‘improver’ certification: ABBA Voyage London, Barclays Arena, first direct arena, Uber Arena, and Uber Eats Music Hall.

“It has been a hugely rewarding process working through AGF’s A Greener Arena certification,” says Kerryn Duckworth, head of operations at first direct arena. “The detailed application process has helped all teams within the arena evaluate our approach to environmental sustainability. It has provided us with a better understanding of what we do well and what areas we can focus on to reduce our emissions and waste further. We can’t wait to get further initiatives in place in 2025 to help towards a more sustainable future.”

To be certified, venues undertake a thorough assessment based upon the AGF Framework, including self-assessment, site visits, and post-event evidence and data submitted to AGF assessors for an independent auditors’ report.

The AGF Framework includes 11 key themes, including local environments & community, travel, food, energy, water, waste, EDI, and governance.

Accolades were recently rolled out for events, with the UK’s Green Gathering, Norway’s Øya Festival, Belgium’s Paradise City, and France’s We Love Green awarded the highest honours.

The International AGF Awards, where certified events across a range of green categories will be crowned, will return on 25 February in London. The awards take place directly after the Green Events & Innovations (GEI17) conference, held in partnership with the ILMC.

 


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More names added as GEI17 programme takes shape

The Green Events and Innovations Conference (GEI17) has confirmed more panels and speakers for its upcoming 17th edition.

The leading conference for event sustainability is organised by A Greener Future (AGF) in partnership with the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) and will take place on Tuesday, 25 February 2025 – the day before ILMC – at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel.

With a key theme of Biodiversity, Marie Sabot (We Love Green) and Hortense Serret (CESCO/Nabi Ecology) will offer a window into the work of the French festival and its home city of Paris in dealing with the ecological protection and enhancement at the event’s site and surrounding area.

AGG’s Nikita Coulter will present the National Arenas Association (NAA) Green Guide alongside the NAA, while A Greener Tour Round V session will see representatives from various parts of the live ecosystem look for collaborative solutions for improving the impact of touring.

Plus, Dale Vince (Ecotricity/Forest Green Rovers), Roxy Erickson (Music Climate Pact) and Claire O’Neill (AGF/Grid Faeries) will explore the latest technologies and solutions for power and removing diesel from events and film productions.

“We’re very excited with how the programme is shaping up with such important topics for the 17th edition,” says AGF CEO Claire O’Neill. “We’re looking forward to hosting the inspiring GEI community, including this year’s newcomers.”

GEI17 will be rounded off by the International AGF Awards 2025

In addition, extreme weather-related discussions will focus on water and sanitisation with chair Jane Healy (J Healy Productions/Glastonbury/Boomtown Fair), and potential insurance claims, as Steven Howell (Music Insurance Brokers) provides insight into the landscape and considerations for event organisers to be protected and minimise their risks.

Elsewhere, Gabrielle Austen-Browne (Diversity Alliance) will explain how to meaningfully integrate DEIBA into event consciousness and Sanjoy K. Roy (Teamwork Arts) will share information about the sustainability and social actions of Jaipur Literature Festival in India

Meanwhile, following Act 1.5 Expedition One in Liverpool, UK, GEI will look at the future of event sustainability reporting and communication through the lens of public health.

Other speakers so far confirmed include Sangeeta Waldron (Serendipity PR), Dr. Teresa Moore (AGF), Madame Gandhi (artist/activist, US), and John Robb (artist/author).

The full schedule will include discussions, case studies and showcases, along with networking opportunities and a five-star vegan lunch and closing drinks party, while rounding off GEI17 will be the International AGF Awards 2025, sponsored by Skydiamond.

GEI17 is delighted to be once again supported by platinum sponsor Ecotricity and gold sponsor The O2, with Skydiamond as the International AGF Awards sponsor and EarthPercent as charity partner. Various sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities remain.

 


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A Greener Future launches GEI17 conference

A Greener Future (AGF) has revealed details of the 17th edition of the Green Events and Innovations Conference (GEI17).

AGF‘s flagship event, GEI17 is organised in partnership with the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) and will take place on Tuesday, 25 February 2025 – the day before ILMC – at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

The 17th edition of the leading conference for event sustainability will tackle and celebrate the future of green events with a programme of discussions, case studies and showcases, along with networking opportunities and a five-star vegan lunch and closing drinks party.

Last year’s GEI welcomed over 50 speakers including artists Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker and Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets); climate justice activists Dominique Palmer and Tori Tsui; plus Dale Vince OBE (Ecotricity), Cathy Runciman (EarthPercent), Carol Scott (TAIT), Patricia Yagüe (Live Nation), John Langford (AEG Europe), and Tom Schroeder (Wasserman Music).

“Events and the live sector are feeling the impact of global tensions first hand with growing costs, ethical scrutiny, and uncertainty, and in the worst cases, direct impacts to operations caused by war and climate change,” says AGF CEO and founder Claire O’Neill. “Some are simply moving in the wrong direction, whilst others are taking the most ambitious green actions we’ve ever seen. We’re experiencing significant change, which is sharpening focus, boosting innovation, and inspiring action.”

“The purpose of GEI is to expedite that transition through events and to have fun while doing it”

One of the main topics of discussion will be audience travel, which will include an exclusive deep dive into the TICKET TO RIDE project by The Changency & Crowd Impact together with German rock band AnnenMayKantereit and the impact of business structures and ticketing on fan travel.

In addition, Massive Attack’s Act 1.5 Climate Action Accelerator – which has been hailed as the future of green events – will be presented, in addition to an exclusive panel dedicated to phase 2 of the project. Meanwhile, The Quick-Fire Innovation Round will provide select delegates with the opportunity to pitch their innovative solution. Applications are open here.

“The purpose of GEI is to expedite that transition through events and to have fun while doing it,” adds O’Neill. “We can’t wait to come together again in February.”

The event will conclude with the International AGF Awards 2025, sponsored by Skydiamond (the world’s first carbon-negative certified diamonds made from atmospheric carbon).

Last year saw finalists from 12 countries, with the top accolade – the International Greener Festival Award 2024 – going to Belgium’s Paradise City.

“The climate crisis is no longer something in the future – it’s happening now, and we must act before it’s too late”

In other news, Vision:2025 – a shared vision for a sustainable outdoor events industry – has assembled a cross-industry working group, chaired by LIVE CEO Jon Collins, to produce the third edition of The Show Must Go On state of the industry report.

Set to be published in March 2025, it will focus on creating a climate transition plan for the festival and live outdoor events industry, and making the case to the government for support to unlock potential for a more sustainable festival and outdoor events future.

Specialists are collaborating with Vision: 2025 to review data and information, establish benchmarks, consider trends and opportunities, engage with industry, and shape a vision for 2030.

The industry working group comprises A Greener Future, Attitude is Everything, Association for Independent Festivals, Betternotstop, Cheltenham Festivals, Festival Republic, Hope Solutions, Julie’s Bicycle, LIVE and Norfolk & Norwich Festival.

“The climate crisis is no longer something in the future – it’s happening now, and we must act before it’s too late,” says Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn. “Each event business has its own unique challenges in taking climate action but we can pull together in the same direction as an industry to make the journey easier and more impactful.”

The funding target of £50,000 from industry sources will match funds raised from Arts Council England, EarthPercent, Dixon Foundation and Festival Republic. Click here for information on how to contribute.

 


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Green Events & Innovations Conference 2025 launches

Registration for the 17th edition of the Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI) is now open.

The leading conference for sustainability in the live events sector will return to London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on Tuesday 25th February 2025.

The one-day event is a partnership with not-for-profit sustainability specialists A Greener Future (AGF) and the International Live Music Conference (ILMC), which takes place immediately after GEI.

“Things are really heating up, literally and figuratively, in the lead-up to GEI17,” says GEI producer and AGF co-founder Claire O’Neill.

“The events and live sector is feeling the impact of global and national tensions first-hand with growing costs, ethical scrutiny, and uncertainty, but at the same time pulling out the stops on some of the most ambitious green initiatives we’ve ever seen.

“We’re in a time of significant transition, which is sharpening focus and boosting innovation and action”

“We’re in a time of significant transition, which is sharpening focus and boosting innovation and action. The purpose of GEI has always been to do its small part to make the transition that we all have to face, a transformation for good. To be better people, making better choices, creating better experiences, and having the most fun possible during this brief time we get to be alive, together, at the same time, on this beautiful planet.”

GEI17 promises engaging talks, panels, discussions, case studies and networking opportunities. The conference concludes with the annual International AGF Awards Ceremony.

Previous GEI speakers include Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker, Pat McCabe, Aurora, Dale Vince (Ecotricity), Mark Donne (Act1.5), Cathy Runciman (EarthPercent), Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets), John Langford (AEG), Carol Scott (TAIT), Em Weirdigan (Green Gathering), Tori Tsui, Mark Stevenson (CUR8), Patricia Yagüe (Live Nation) and Fay Milton (Music Declares Emergency).

Super Early-Bird tickets are now on sale for £139 (€165), which includes access to the conference, the International AGF Awards Ceremony, a drinks reception, plus a five-star lunch.

 


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