In a groundbreaking move for both the music industry and climate activism, Massive Attack have delivered what’s officially confirmed as the lowest carbon emissions ever recorded for a live music event.
The ACT 1.5 festival on Bristol Downs in August 2024 saw the iconic band host over 32,000 fans while employing world-first measures aimed at drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The festival took steps never before seen at such a large-scale event, including becoming the world’s first-ever 100% battery-powered festival, serving entirely plant-based catering, and offering free electric shuttle buses to help fans travel home after the show. And that’s not even mentioning the five extra trains provided to keep audience emissions in check well into the night.
In short, this show was essentially “carbon negative,” though Massive Attack refuse to rely on traditional “offsets” as part of their emissions strategy. The 1,949 native oak trees planted in North Somerset as part of their rail incentive scheme are not included in the final emissions report, but they speak to the band’s commitment to sustainability.
What makes this event truly stand out are the remarkable emissions reductions when compared to a “standard” outdoor festival, where sustainability isn’t a top priority. According to scientists from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, here’s the breakdown of the incredible reductions:
- 98 per cent reduction in power emissions
- 89 per cent reduction in food and catering emissions
- 70 per cent reduction in equipment haulage emissions
- 73 per cent reduction in artist travel emissions
- 32 per cent reduction in audience travel emissions
Impressive, right? But while this marks a major victory in terms of reducing emissions and setting new standards for live events, there are still challenges that lie ahead for live music.
A key issue that has emerged is air travel, which continues to be a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions for global tours. Despite efforts to encourage fans to travel via more eco-friendly options, such as chartered trains and shuttle buses, 5 per cent of the audience who chose to fly accounted for a staggering 64 per cent of emissions from audience travel.
In the words of Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja (3D), “If fans are encouraged to tour the world to see their favourite artists, this sector can simply forget about hitting any emissions reductions targets, let alone Paris 1.5 compatibility.” He goes on to highlight how the demand for epic global tours has led to a rise in air travel, which isn’t aligned with the urgent goals set by the Paris Agreement.
Professor Carly McLachlan of the Tyndall Centre added that this event could be a “game-changer for outdoor festivals,” demonstrating that low-carbon events are not only possible but scalable, with lessons that could be applied beyond live music.
And it’s not just about energy and food; there’s also transport to think about. Dale Vince OBE, founder of Ecotricity, who was involved in the event, pointed out that “energy, transport and food are the big three issues we must tackle.” He also stressed that it’s not about rocket science but climate science in action, showing that sustainable practices are entirely feasible, even at large-scale live events.
Claire O’Neill, CEO of A Greener Future, echoed this sentiment, highlighting how all parties involved were fully committed to decarbonisation. She also pointed out that the ACT 1.5 event set new standards for what large-scale events can achieve, demonstrating how collaboration and strong leadership can unlock new opportunities for the sector.
Despite the success of the event, the report does make clear that there’s still a long way to go to make sustainable touring the norm. According to Mark Donne, the ACT 1.5 lead producer, the event demonstrated how willing fans are to make greener choices, provided there’s the infrastructure to support them. He emphasised the need for government intervention to ensure that the systems promoting clean technology are made simpler and more accessible.
While Massive Attack’s Bristol Downs show is a monumental step towards a sustainable future for live music, it’s also a stark reminder that change is needed on a much wider scale. From better travel options to cleaner production practices, the question now is whether the rest of the music industry can keep up.
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- ACT 1.5
- Bristol Downs
- Carbon Emissions
- Climate Action
- Green Festivals
- Green Touring
- Live Music
- Massive Attack
- Sustainable Music
