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UK event industry’s diesel usage producing emissions equivalent to Malta, research finds
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 3 June 2019
There has been much talk about efforts to make festivals more environmentally friendly in recent years and there have been some great initiatives. But let’s not all start patting ourselves on the back just yet. New research shows that the UK’s live events industry is pumping out diesel emissions each year pretty much equivalent to those of Malta.
Ahead of World Environment Day on Wednesday, A Greener Festival, Julie’s Bicycle and Powerful Thinking have all teamed up with environmental sustainability management company Hope Solutions and power management specialists ZAP Concepts to publish findings about diesel usage at UK festivals and other events.
Key findings are that the UK events industry uses 380 million litres of diesel fuel annually, with diesel used to power generators at such events making up 1.5% of the UK’s entire usage. This is pumping 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, the equivalent of having 220,000 more cars on the road every day.
This is clearly bad and also not necessary, say researchers. “On average the UK event industry could reduce diesel consumption by 40% without risking any loss of power, any blackouts or any detrimental effect on the quality of the events”, says Rob Scully, Head Of Operations at ZAP Concepts UK.
“Venue managers and event managers should take professional advice in order to properly direct their power contractor and ensure that available power is matched to actual demand and where possible introduce renewables and other alternatives”, he goes on. “The show must go on but it could go on in a far more sustainable manner, without risking people’s health and without risking the planet”.
Find out more about the research here.
