The Massachusetts Institute Of Technology has published what it describes as “the first comprehensive annual carbon emissions calculation of the live music industry in the US and UK”.
It’s part of an initiative launched last year that is backed by Coldplay and their record label and concert promoter - Warner Music and Live Nation respectively - and which builds on efforts by the band themselves to make their touring activity more environmentally sustainable.
The academics behind the initiative, Professor John Fernández and Dr Norhan Bayomi, say that - by identifying the “total greenhouse gas emissions attributable to live music in the UK and US” - their study “marks a new anchor for meaningful actions”. Their work, they add, should be used to inform “a new era of emissions reductions and sustainability practices across all of live music”.
The study is based on data from 2023, during which live music generated 4.0 million ‘tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent’ in the UK and 14.3 million in the US. “To put this in perspective”, the study states, “UK live music accounts for the equivalent of 1% of the nation’s total emissions, while US live music represents the equivalent of 0.2% of national emissions”.
While those are, relatively speaking, a very small portion of total emissions, the study stresses that the live industry seeking to bring its total emissions down will still deliver a significant impact overall. Not least because the sector’s “cultural reach is vast”, and things like “sustainable venue practices” and “greener fan travel” can “set trends, shape behaviour and inspire broader climate action”.
The study breaks down the elements of live music that generate carbon emissions, and fans travelling to shows is by far the biggest contributor, accounting for 77% of total live music emissions in the UK and 62% in the US.
Food and drink comes next, contributing 16.9% of emissions in the US and 7.6% in the UK, mainly because of the sale of animal-based products. The study notes that “a shift toward plant-based menus could reduce these emissions by 40% or more”.
When fan travel is excluded, the study goes on, “trucking and freight emerge as major contributors - trucking makes up 14% of US emissions, while air freight accounts for nearly 35% in the UK”.
The study makes 33 recommendations for how the live music industry can reduce its total emissions, broken down into eight categories including power solutions, venue improvements, transportation and logistics, food systems, fan travel, artist and crew travel, and general industry actions.
Welcoming the publication of the new study, Live Nation’s Head Of Sustainability Lucy August-Perna says, “Real progress starts with shared understanding. For the first time, the live music industry has a clear picture of where our collective impact lies. For Live Nation, this data empowers us to continue taking smarter, more coordinated action in partnership with artists, venues and fans to preserve a strong future for live music and the communities that support it”.
Warner Music’s Senior Director of ESG, Madeleine Smith, adds, “As we advance our sustainability efforts, we’re committed to turning insights into measurable action - aligning purpose with performance, building resilience across the ecosystem, and ensuring that music continues to create shared value for artists, fans and the planet alike”.