BOYERTOWN, PA — Music can change the world – this belief has now been taken from a figurative sense into a more literal, climate-conscious scope. The live music industry, driven by the rhythm of artists, promoters, and fans, is dancing carefully to the tune of sustainability, as per a recent study by ClimeCo in partnership with the Music Sustainability Alliance (MSA).
The study, presented at the Music Sustainability Summit, paints an interesting picture, with results from in-depth conversations with over fifty major stakeholders, ranging from tour managers, promoters, festival organizers to record labels and non-profit organizations.
Echoing Sustainability, One Note at a Time
Sustainability is key, and everyone agrees. The study finds unanimous recognition of the importance of sustainability and an active quest to improve in this area across all interviewees. Interestingly, priorities change based on roles and functional areas, indicating intricate nuances in this process.
The most significant driver of sustainability, as per the research, is the influence of the artists themselves. With 91% of groups interviewed voting in favor, it is the artists who are shaping the vision for their tours, engaging fans, and adopting green riders, thereby making venues more accommodating of their environmental expectations.
Fans too, are joining in this green chorus, eagerly participating in sustainability efforts, seeking such measures at live events, and expecting to be part of impact mitigation.
A Fair Share of Success and Challenges
The journey towards sustainability is not without its milestones and stumbling blocks. Various groups have successfully initiated waste reduction strategies, while others have ventured into exploring cleaner energy sources. Single-use plastics at festivals have seen a decrease over the years, and solar energy is being tested for live performances and as a replacement for diesel generators.
However, the road to greener pastures is not exactly smooth. Challenges like high implementation costs and lack of granular data pose significant barriers. The dearth of industry-wide standardization in measuring greenhouse gas emissions is also a significant concern. A solution that surfaced during discussions was using sponsors to fund environmental initiatives and their success measurement.
The Future: Tuning Towards More Sustainable Practices
Despite the challenges, the industry is all set to improvise and innovate. Stakeholders propose that the industry provides avenues for attendees to reduce their impact and empower fans interested in contributing to sustainability efforts. Venues and festivals are also discussing ways to create ride-sharing or shuttle programs to decrease the carbon emissions resulting from fan travel.
“Given its visibility, platform, and passion, the entertainment industry is one of the most important and influential drivers of climate action,” says Garrett Keraga, Senior Manager of Sustainability, Policy and Advisory at ClimeCo. As the industry navigates towards sustainability, all concord in recognizing the need to work with external experts to set accurate goals and key performance indicators.
The Music Sustainability Alliance exudes optimism about this study. “This research is a step towards understanding where we are in our sustainability journey,” noted Amy Morrison, MSA President. For the live music industry, it seems, climate action is the new chart-topper.
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