Denmark’s NorthSide reveals tree planting scheme
Denmark’s NorthSide is to build upon its pioneering sustainability work by creating the NorthSide Forest – the largest afforestation project in the region.
The scheme aims to strengthen biodiversity around the festival’s native city of Aarhus, as well as binding carbon equivalent to the event’s emissions for five years.
In collaboration with Aarhus Municipality and the Danish Climate Forest Fund, the Down the Drain-promoted event is funding the planting of at least 8.7 hectares of diverse conservation forest.
“At NorthSide, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what a festival can and should be,” says Northside sustainability manager Maritn Thim. “We have taken substantial leaps regarding sustainability and continually experiment to see where we can make even more of an impact.”
Performers at this year’s festival included Massive Attack, Troye Sivan, Unkendt Kunstner, Coi Leray and Kaytranada.
Since its inception in 2010 with a goal to be “the greenest of the big festivals”, NorthSide has taken several steps to bring down carbon emissions and reduce waste. In 2019, it introduced recyclable plastic cups and has served exclusively plant-based foods since 2022 and announced earlier this year that it had reduced its CO2 emissions by 32% since going meat-free. It also became one of the first festivals in the world to only use 100% green electricity from the local power grid.
“It makes perfect sense to collaborate with a local cultural institution like NorthSide”
According to the team, the planting of the forest will help better protect the groundwater in the area and improve conditions for biodiversity.
“It makes perfect sense to collaborate with a local cultural institution like NorthSide,” says Nicolaj Bang, councilman for technical and environmental affairs in Aarhus Municipality. “Like a new forest, they started small and grew into an integral part of the city and its residents. By working with them and The Danish Climate Forest Fund, we can now show a prime example of how we can address both environmental and groundwater protection while providing great nature experiences for the residents of Aarhus in a single project.”
The Danish Climate Forest Fund has developed a standard for how forest planting contributes to Denmark’s climate efforts, meaning it is possible to quantify how much carbon the new forest will capture and store.
“This collaboration shows what we can achieve when we bring together actors committed to climate action,” adds Poul Erik Lauridsen, director of the Danish Climate Forest Fund. “Together, we can plant a forest that benefits the climate and provides Aarhus residents with a fantastic natural area close to the city. We are very proud to be part of this.”
NorthSide 2025 will take place from 5-7 June next year.
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Latitude trials hydrogen power in new partnership
The UK’s Latitude Festival stepped up its green efforts by partnering with green energy supplier GeoPura to power this year’s edition more sustainably.
GeoPura’s Hydrogen Power Units (HPUs) replaced HVO biofuel generators at the Festival Republic-run event, held from 25-28 July in Henham Park, Suffolk, providing zero-emission electricity to part of the festival’s village area. Traditionally, festivals have relied on diesel generators.
“Powering an event like Latitude Festival sustainably is a big focus for us and requires reliable, renewable energy sources,” says Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn. “Our partnership with GeoPura and the integration of their Hydrogen Power Units is a fantastic step forward by exploring alternative power solutions.
“By trialling hydrogen power at this year’s festival, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also protecting the local environment and paving the way for more sustainable events in the future. As set out in our Green Nation Sustainability Charter we have a responsibility to preserve the live music experience for generations to come and the opportunity to use our platform to inspire global environmental action.”
To reduce emissions, the festival also trialled hydrogen power, as well as use HVO biofuel in all generators, meaning festival power was 100% fossil fuel free, as part of a broader sustainability plan encompassing several green initiatives in line with Live Nation’s global goal of a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030.
A space was also provided for climate activist and environmental groups Greenpeace, Climate Live and Every Can Counts to interact with festivalgoers on their work.
“We commend Latitude Festival, Festival Republic and Live Nation UK for their leadership in implementing this technology”
Latitude’s 2024 music programme featured acts such as Duran Duran, Kasabian, Keane, London Grammar, Nile Rodgers + Chic, Future Islands, Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, Caity Baser, CMAT, Seasick Steve and Rick Astley.
GeoPura’s HPUs utilise green hydrogen to produce clean electricity, eliminating the carbon emissions associated with power generation.
“Our HPUs make it possible to power large events sustainably without compromising on performance or experience,” says GeoPura CEO Andrew Cunningham. “In fact, by introducing reliable, zero-emission power, organisers are not only lowering the carbon footprint of the event, but also enhancing the overall experience for all involved with cleaner air and quieter operations.
“We commend Latitude Festival, Festival Republic and Live Nation UK for their leadership in implementing this technology and setting a powerful example for other large events to follow.”
Elsewhere, the main stage of Festival Republic’s Electric Picnic in Ireland will be connected to the grid and powered by renewable energy this year, while Solo Agency struck a “groundbreaking deal” with an Isle of Wight biogas firm in 2023 to generate more than 950,000 kWh of electricity using grass from the Isle of Wight Festival site – almost twice the amount of energy used during the festival.
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UK arena bosses discuss green goals
UK arena executives have given an insight into the strides being made to turn the sector into a greener business.
Representatives of London’s The O2 and OVO Arena Wembley, Scottish Event Campus and Manchester’s Co-op Live spoke of the direction of travel at the Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI), the leading gathering for sustainability at live events.
“I think it does prove that people are a) passionate and b) and also doing lots about but also see there’s still a lot to be done all together with the entire industry’s help,” said panel chair Lucy Noble of the Royal Albert Hall (RAH). “So let’s keep going and hopefully if we reconvene next year we’ll have lots more exciting news and be able to talk about new developments.”
Arenas have taken huge strides to strategically reduce their carbon emissions, eliminate waste, green up their food and beverage offerings. Noble recently detailed the RAH’s sustainability focus in an interview with IQ, while the SEC hosted last year’s COP26 climate summit prior to its OVO Hydro in Glasgow becoming the first arena in the world to achieve A Greener Arena (AGA) certification for its commitment to sustainability.
Oak View Group’s new east Manchester development Co-op Live, meanwhile, will become the UK’s first all-electric arena when it opens next year.
Here is a sample of what the GEI: ‘Stepping Into A Greener Arena’ panellists had to say about their green efforts to date…
“We’ve gone red meat free in the arena”
John Drury, OVO Arena Wembley
“We’re part of ASM Global, so we’ve got our own plan in place there, and we obviously work closely now with OVO Energy. Within ASM, we’ve got what’s ASM Global Acts, we’ve got these three main pillars that we work towards that encompass environmental sustainability, community, and diversity and inclusion. So we work with those headings across what we do. One big thing that we did a few years ago as a venue is we replaced all of the house lighting with LED. It was a big investment, nearly quarter of a million pounds, but the payback on that was three years. We only purchase renewable energy. We don’t sell any waste to landfill. We have recycling bins on the concourse, we do all the usual things that you would expect most venues will do. We’ve gone red meat free in the arena, so you can’t get a burger at the venue. You can get chicken burger. It’s bad news for chickens, but it’s been good for the venue and nobody buys a ticket for a show because they want a burger. If they’re hungry, they’ll get veg, chilli, loaded fries or they’ll get something else. It’s a really good initiative and clearly makes sense.”
“We’ve been trialling wind turbines on site for a year or so now to see if that can play a part in our roadmap to net zero”
Steve Sayer, The O2
“AEG has been focused on sustainability for 10-plus years. We have a global framework strategy called 1Earth, which is very much focused on water conservation, waste reduction and reducing carbon emissions. We’ve been harvesting rainwater for the last 10 years, focused on reducing water in all of our bathrooms and washrooms. We’ve been purchasing green energy from a verifiable source for about eight years. All of our energy is tracked and metered throughout the building and we’ve been doing that for a long time. We segregate all of our waste, a minute proportion – less than 1% – goes to landfill, the rest of it is dealt within a sustainable source. We’ve been trialling wind turbines on site for a year or so now to see if that can play a part in our roadmap to net zero. We set a green team up. I always say I was learning about climate change 30 years ago when I was in school, it’s not a new phenomenon. But I think in the last five years it’s just in everybody’s consciousness and Blue Planet 2, definitely in the UK was a real catalyst, particularly at The O2. That then led to us setting up or creating a CSR programme. We have four pillars: sustainability, charity, accessibility and community, and it’s called Good Vibes All Round. It was our first foray into more of a socially purpose driven venue. It’s very much a journey, and it’s a journey that is going to continue for a number of years.”
“OVO Hydro is the first arena in the world to get the Greener Arena award”
Jennifer Ennis, Scottish Event Campus
“We launched our sustainability strategy at the start of this year. The key headlines around our strategy include a net zero 2030 commitment. We did a carbon footprint assessment last year to establish what our baseline is and we’re working towards reducing that. Another key goal for us is our people goals, so that’s about how we engage with our own team to be more sustainable. We’ve got a sustainability committee now, so that has representation from all the different departments of our business. Another key one is resource so that’s all about reducing our waste and increasing recycling. We’ve got a few targets around that which align to zero waste Scotland’s targets, like reducing waste volume by 10% and increasing recycling to 70%. OVO Hydro is the first arena in the world to get the Greener Arena award, so that was a fantastic project to work towards. It is an incredibly comprehensive assessment. But equally, it gives you really good areas to focus on where you could be making improvements.”
“All of our venues are going to be driving the carbon neutral positioning as fast as we can possibly achieve it”
Sarah Tomkins, Co-op Live
“I’ll start by talking about a venue which is open, which is [OVG’s] Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. It’s the first arena to actually achieve zero carbon certification, which is amazing, so we can learn from that. How do they create their own energy? They’re using solar power. How are they reducing gas? They’re 100% electric. They’ve got aluminium cups and are reducing all of their compostable waste. They’re also looking at how their fans travel to the building. At Co-op Live, we’re doing a very similar thing. We’ve got a football pitch and a half of solar on our roof. We’re collecting the lovely Manchester rainwater and we’re going to use that to flush our toilets and to irrigate all of our plants. We are also going to look at heat source. And then we’re also looking at all the different elements of technology from the lighting to the bin systems that will drive the most efficient building possible. And then the operational side is the bit we’re really starting to get our teeth stuck into now. We’ve got to work together to achieve the ambitions but at Oak View Group, we’re really proud to say that this is a top priority for us and all of our venues are going to be driving the carbon neutral positioning as fast as we possibly can achieve it.”
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Elton John, Jack Johnson win German Sustainability Awards
Musicians Elton John, Jack Johnson, Milky Chance and Joy Denalane were among the winners at the 13th German Sustainability Award (GSA), held in Dusseldorf on 2 and 3 December.
The awards, organised in cooperation with the German government, recognise the best solutions to global warming, overuse of resources, the extinction of species and division in society.
“Due to coronavirus, this year’s award ceremony resembled a TV show,” says Stefan Lohmann, the awards’ artist relations manager. “Musical highlights of the events were the live performances of Joy Denalane, Jack Johnson and Milky Chance. Other emotional highlights were the laudations and thank-you speeches, as well as the short film documentaries about the artists’ commitment.
“This year, I am particularly pleased about the great variety of commitments the international stars and honorary prize winners are committed to. After all, sustainability is not only about ecology and environmental protection, but also about social justice, equality, inclusion and human rights. It is about achieving the global sustainability goals.”
“I am particularly pleased about the great variety of commitments”
The German Sustainability Award is the national award for achievement in sustainability in business, municipalities and research, and the largest of its kind in Europe.
Sir Elton was recognised with an honorary award in recognition of his humanitarian work, including with the Elton John Aids Foundation, while Motown-signed German star Joy Denalane is known for her activism against discrimination, racism and prejudice in German and abroad.
Hawaii-born Jack Johnson, meanwhile, was awarded for his commitment to marine protection, and Milky Change for their carbon-neutral and sustainable touring.
YouTuber Fynn Kliemann received the Next Economy Award, which recognises “green founders”, or entrepreneurs who are commited to fairness, creativity and sustainability.
Registration is open now for the 13th Green Events & Innovations Conference, the leading conference for sustainability in live events, which takes place on 2 March 2021, the day before ILMC.
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Bike-In concerts: The next wheely good idea?
In the space of just a few weeks, drive-in concerts have – along with the likes of live streams, virtual experiences and socially distanced shows – become an important part of live music’s ‘new normal’, with fans in Germany, the US, Lithuania, the Netherlands and elsewhere watching shows through their car windscreens and Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino identifying drive-ins as being key to getting the business restarted.
However, drive-in concerts aren’t without their detractors, with critics having pointed to the environmental impact of hundreds of cars sitting stationary with their engines running, as well as the perceived lack of immersion compared to a ‘real’ live show.
Now, Fulvio De Rosa, head manager of Milan-based promoter Shining Production, believes he has the answer: Bike-In, a new event concept that would instead see concertgoers bring their bicycles to a live show, allowing fans to experience a traditional open-air concert from the comfort of their saddles.
De Rosa, who is in the process of raising funding for the idea, highlights Bike-In’s advantages compared to a drive-in show: “There’s been a lot of talk in these last few days about the return of ‘drive-in’ movies, but we prefer thinking of something that, above all, should be eco-friendly and sharable. This is how Bike-In was born.”
Whereas drive-in concerts see fans, many of whom have been in “lockdown for a long time”, once again isolated in their vehicles, and need a large paved area such as a car park, Bike-In allows fans to enjoy the music “while breathing fresh air”, and is adaptable to any space, including parks and other green spaces, he continues.
The Bike-In concept is designed to be “eco-friendly and sharable”
According to a presentation document, events using Bike-In would allow fans to choose their own spot in the ‘venue’, from three options: a single spot for one person and one bicycle, a family or couples spot, for multiple people and bikes, and a ‘premium spot’ on a raised platform that includes services such as food and beverage. Each spot has its own bike rack, and is located at a safe distance from others to ensure social distancing.
The document also suggests Bike-In could be used for livestreamed shows, with those who purchase the format benefitting from a F&B delivery service to fans watching from home.
Speaking to Italian media, Laura Ciraudo, communications manager for Shining Production and sister businesses Live Music Club and Fresh Agency, says Bike-In has already received concrete interest from venues in Lombardy and Turin, as well as more general enquiries from all over Italy.
The Italian government announced on Monday that concerts, sans F&B and with strict capacity limits and social-distancing measures, may once again be held from 15 June.
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Time to regenerate
As Shambala Festival’s 20th anniversary approaches in 2020, I’m reflecting on our journey from humble beginnings with 120 friends in a field to becoming one of Europe’s leading sustainable events. We have been driven by the desire to put on a wildly creative celebration and be at the vanguard of ethics and environmental practice.
We have experimented in every way we can, learning about our impacts with the input of scientific experts, setting ambitious targets, working with all stakeholders and taking risks. We have transitioned from diesel generators to completely renewable energy, eliminated single-use plastics, taken meat and fish off the menu, and in 2018, served only plant-based milks across the festival. We have a myriad of policies in place to reduce travel impacts and tackle the complex issue of waste, from both materials management and audience perspectives, with the support of behaviour-change psychologists. All of this has helped us to reduce the overall environmental footprint of the festival by over 90%, verified by third-party carbon calculator tools and certification.
We also place a huge emphasis on inspiring – and often requiring – everyone we are in contact with to think and act differently: audience, supply chain, local community and authorities, and the wider industry. I see a festival as a petri dish opportunity for experimenting with positive change. We know we can positively affect audience behaviour beyond the festival. When we took meat and fish off the menu, 50% of our audience ‘drastically changed their diets as a result of their experience of the festival’ and 76% of them had sustained that change six months later.
Not everything we’ve done works initially; we try things, learn, collect data like it’s going out of fashion so that we understand the minutiae of Shambala, we review, and then we shape strategy and policy accordingly. But I believe this isn’t enough. The climate crisis is rapidly changing the world, biodiversity is in freefall, soil fertility is seriously at risk and the oceans are saturated with plastics. It’s not climate ‘change.’ It’s an emergency, and one that affects people profoundly disproportionately globally.
We recently looked into our food policies and standards. What crystallised was that ‘sustainability’ as a concept is no longer fully adequate in meeting the challenges we face. It’s not enough to sustain. We need to improve ecological systems as quickly as we can, and a paradigm shift toward ‘regenerative’ thinking, models and practices is required to provide the life-support systems we need for the future.
I see a festival as a petri dish opportunity for experimenting with positive change
My eyes have been opened to how all aspects of our supply chain could become more regenerative. We will now pursue long-term relationships with food producers that are enhancing environmental and social capital, embracing a truly circular approach, whereby materials we use and no longer require have a next-life use pre-identified.
I’m beginning to appreciate how all aspects of our supply chain could become more regenerative, particularly in relation to food. Small-scale agriculture – under 12 acres – is significantly more beneficial for biodiversity, productivity, health, wellbeing and employment. On this basis, we are now developing long-term relationships with small-scale local food growers that are actually enhancing environmental and social capital, rather than simply ‘not damaging it.’
I feel optimistic about the bigger picture, but we face a challenge and need to get on with it quickly. We have the knowledge, technology, skills and resources to do this.
The event and music industries are now showing signs of taking real action. Energy Revolution, a UK charity dedicated to sustainable travel and carbon balancing now has 50 festivals and many suppliers engaged; and has balanced over 10 million miles of travel emissions with investments in renewable energy. Music Declares Emergency has experienced an explosive start, with 2,500 individuals and organisations joining within months of the launch.
The Powerful Thinking group, comprised of all the membership bodies in the events industry, has been working together on environmental practice for ten years. Their Vision:2025 campaign, a framework for halving the event industry’s impacts by 2025, has over 100 festivals in its portfolio.
Given the scale and urgency of the challenge, I am heartened by the cross-industry support to launch an updated Show Must Go On report and Vision:2025 online hub in January 2020. These free-to-access knowledge hubs will give all event professionals the tools to take significant steps toward zero-carbon events, without having to re-invent the wheel.
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Coldplay go on touring hiatus over eco-concerns
Coldplay have put a temporary hold on their touring career, and will not tour their next album at all, due to concerns over live music’s environmental impact, frontman Chris Martin has said.
Speaking to BBC News, Martin says: “We’re not touring this album. We’re taking time over the next year or two, to work out how our tour can not only be sustainable, [but] how can it be actively beneficial.”
The double album Everyday Life, the band’s eighth studio effort, will be released on Parlophone tomorrow (22 November).
“All of us have to work out the best way of doing our job,” Martin continues, telling the BBC Coldplay want their future tours to “have a positive impact”.
The UK act are currently in Amman, the capital of Jordan, preparing to play two shows that will be streamed live on YouTube. The two concerts, to be staged tomorrow at sunrise and sunset, respectively, will mirror the two halves of Everyday Life.
Coldplay’s last world tour was the A Head Full of Dreams trek, which encompassed 122 shows across four continents in 2016–2017.
“All of us have to work out the best way of doing our job”
The tour was the third highest-grossing of 2016, taking in US$241 million from 60 shows, and held the same spot the following year, earning another $238m from 54 shows.
“Our next tour will be the best possible version of a tour like that [A Head Full of Dreams], environmentally,” adds Martin. “We would be disappointed if it’s not carbon neutral.
“The hardest thing is the flying side of things. But, for example, our dream is to have a show with no single-use plastic, [and[ to have it largely solar powered.
“We’ve done a lot of big tours at this point. How do we turn it around so it’s not so much taking as giving?”
To ensure their next UK and Ireland dates carbon neutral, the 1975 recently pledged to plant a tree for every ticket sold for the home leg of the People tour.
The environmental impact of touring and how to mitigate it will be among the topics discussed as the next Green Events and Innovation (GEI) conference next March.
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UK industry declares ‘climate emergency’
A coalition of UK artists, music companies and associations have issued a declaration of a ‘climate and ecological emergency’, calling on governments to do more to combat global warming while pledging to make their businesses more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The declaration, issued today (12 July), is administered by the newly formed Music Declares Emergency (MDE) group. Signatories include promoters SJM Concerts, Festival Republic and Crosstown Concerts, Coda Agency, Music Venue Trust, artists Suede, Wolf Alice and Idles, and several labels and music publishers.
Alison Tickell, MD of Julie’s Bicycle, a member of the MDE working group, says the declaration represents a significant moment in the British music industry’s collective response to climate change. “It has never been more important to understand the gravity of the climate crisis and to do more,” says Tickell. “Music Declares Emergency was created to enable the UK music industry to declare a climate and ecological emergency, to accelerate collaboration and ambition in order to meet critical targets, and to call on government to use their policy and investment tools to help us to reach those goals.”
The declaration reads:
- We call on governments and media institutions to tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency
- We call on governments to act now to reverse biodiversity loss and reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2030
- We recognise that the emergency has arisen from global injustices and will work towards systemic change to protect life on Earth
- We acknowledge the environmental impact of music industry practices and commit to taking urgent action.
We will:
- Jointly support one another, sharing expertise as a collective industry and community
- Speak up and out about the climate and ecological emergency
- Work towards making our businesses ecologically sustainable and regenerative
“We face a climate and ecological emergency and the only proportionate response is to act boldly and act now”
Mike Smith, managing director of MDE signatory Warner Chappell Music UK, comments: “It’s vital that we back this campaign. The threat from climate change is real and we all need to play our part in combating it. Music may not have the impact of some other industries, but we can still do more to reduce our own carbon footprint and use our platform to spread the message that action needs to be taken.”
“As I sat at a music festival in the desert, watching Extinction Rebellion’s action unfold so beautifully in London, I realised that something had to change,” adds Savages drummer and MDE working group member Fay Milton. “It seemed like the music world had lost touch with reality, partying like there’s no tomorrow, when ‘no tomorrow’ has become the forecast. On realising I wasn’t alone with these thoughts, Music Declares Emergency was born.
“The momentum of support has been huge and making a declaration is just the first step to creating real change. We face a climate and ecological emergency and the only proportionate response is to act boldly and act now.”
Organisations and individuals in the music industry can sign the declaration at www.musicdeclares.net.
Sustainability in the live business and the industry’s response to climate change will once again take centre stage at the 12th Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI), which takes place next March. GEI11 saw MDE signatory Coda partner with A Greener Festival to launch the first-ever Green Artist Rider
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Sustainability in live: a long way to go
Whilst the live music industry undoubtedly has the ability and power to share good practice and ideas across borders, operationally speaking, it has a whole host of negative environmental impacts.
In 2006, I joined an ILMC panel discussing environmental sustainability in the live music industry. Live Nation had just appointed their first sustainability manager, and Download Festival’s bars were already employing a reusable cup deposit system. Thirteen years later, the same conversations continue to take place, but with one big difference: what was previously a topic deemed worthy by only a small section of the live music industry, has now become an unavoidable theme applicable throughout the business.
With the publication of the 12-year warning (now 11) – before irreversible climate change takes place – by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the issue has been pushed higher up on the international agenda. Difficult decisions have to be made with some industries no longer being permitted or able to operate as they did in the past. As an industry, we have three options: (1) wait to be told to change by governments and regulations, (2) stick our heads in the sand (whilst there’s still sand to stick things in) and hope it all goes away, or (3) do something, get creative and evolve.
What was previously a topic deemed worthy by only a small section of the live music industry, has now become an unavoidable theme applicable throughout the business
Event greening and sustainability often put the main focus on the elimination of single-use plastics and plastic pollution. Whilst this is extremely important, it’s actually just one small piece of a much larger puzzle. Reports such as The Show Must Go On published by Powerful Thinking have highlighted that a significant impact of live events on the environment is the burning of fossil fuels used for transportation. And more recently, it has been revealed that the meat and dairy industries are responsible for even greater emissions than transportation and that a huge reduction in their consumption is essential to avoid climate breakdown. In addition, regulations such as the Modern Slavery Act, and campaign groups like Fashion Revolution increasingly expose the supply chains for goods and merchandise.
So what’s the live music industry doing to reverse climate change? The recent Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI) saw Coda Agency launch their Green Artist Rider alongside A Greener Festival, following growing requests from artists. Venues, including the Royal Albert Hall and the O2, highlighted their efforts to reduce FOH waste and facilitate low carbon travel for productions and audiences. Meanwhile, festival organisers across Europe have been pioneering in the field of sustainability – combating the rampant waste of campers with the formation of the Campsite Chaos working group. All of these actions and issues are helping the industry to focus on the issue and improve event sustainability.
Wasteful consumption of finite resources resulting in pollution is a huge challenge. Many of us are now aware of the circular or closed-loop economy – an area that requires innovation and creativity so that we can retire out-dated linear design systems that rely on cheap materials and disposability, and instead keep resources within the “loop.”
Difficult decisions have to be made with some industries no longer being permitted or able to operate as they did in the past
The circular economy aims to use renewable energy. Improved accuracy of temporary event power requirements results in optimum efficiency, saving both fuel and money. Energy storage systems are becoming more widely available and are particularly beneficial for supplementing limited grid power during peak usage.
There is an increasing demand for biofuels to replace the fossil fuels used for transport and generators. At GEI, Maarten Arkenboot of transport company Pieter Smit spoke of trucking fleets meeting Euro 6 emission standards due to regulations from major cities, and their use of HVO in their engines. HVO distribution and availability, however, is still lacking.
Public awareness of issues such as single-use plastics is growing, but we must be wary of knee-jerk reactions. Whilst new “green” alternatives are obviously attractive, we must give equal attention to the infrastructure for waste management and materials recovery. Sources of uncertified alternative fuel, for instance, can lead to deforestation and other consequences. The full life-cycle of each product must be considered.
Fundamental changes are needed to make a significant difference. Tour design needs to consider routing and the quantity of what is on the road or flown. Improvements can be made to in-house venue production, reducing trucking whilst boosting local creative employment. Low carbon travel for audiences needs to be facilitated.
Ultimately, it is not about saving the planet. It existed before us, and can exist without us in the future. A greener live music industry is concerned with our wellbeing as a species. Equality, diversity, health and wellbeing go hand in hand with effectively tackling ecological challenges.
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AEG targets zero carbon emissions by 2050
AEG has announced its intention to cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by 2050.
The company, whose divisions include promoter AEG Presents and venue operator AEG Facilities, announced yesterday, on Earth Day 2019 (22 April), that it has revised its previous goal – to reduce emissions by 25%, or approximately 3.2% per year between 2010 and 2020 – in response to the Global Warming of 1.5˚C report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
AEG’s adoption of the new 1.5˚C-based goal will require the company to reduce its total emissions by 33% from 2010 to 2020, and to follow IPCC’s guidance to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
“We are committed to leading the way toward change and continuing to help draw attention to this serious issue by doing more to ensure the safety of our world,” says John Marler, vice-president of energy and environment for AEG.
“We are committed to leading the way toward change”
“Today’s announcement builds on that commitment to further drive improvements in our global operations wherever possible.”
Marler adds that “meeting our current 2020 GHG goal is critical as it reflects the level of reductions required to achieve this longer-term targets.”
Elsewhere, AEG has released its 2019 Sustainability Report, which outlines progress toward its set of 2020 GHG, water conservation and waste reduction goals.
“While we are pleased with the work we have done to date, we recognise that much more work needs to be done,” continues Marler. “In addition to adopting our new 1.5˚C target for GHG emissions, we continue to look for ways to reduce potable water at water-stressed sites by 4.4% per year and diverting 70% of waste from landfill across all AEG operations.”
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