How Can a World Tour be Sustainable?

Last week popular music band Coldplay announced their "sustainable" world tour.

But how can a world tour be sustainable? - They're surely not travelling the world on bicycles and sail boats with drums on their backs?

They're not travelling the world on bicycles and in sail boats. There is a difference between being "zero carbon" and producing a sustainable "carbon neutral" tour. The principles and initiatives put together for this tour make it very much so a sustainable tour.

The sustainability strategy put together for the tour was developed by Hope Solutions and is a shining example. Here I share an overview of the sustainability strategy:

The Principles

Coldplay have three guiding principles for their tour:

1. Reduce - reduction of consumption, recycle extensively and cut CO2 emissions by 50% compared to historic baseline.
2. Reinvent - support new green technologies and develop new sustainable, super-low carbon touring methods.
3. Restore - make the tour as environmentally beneficial as possible by funding a portfolio of nature- and technology-based projects and by drawing down significantly more CO2 than the tour produces.

The Initiatives

Coldplay have 12 sustainability initiatives contained within their Music of Spheres tour. The initiatives are the tactics which will be deployed by Coldplay to ensure they meet their sustainability goals.

Refreshingly to see, they have been detailed on the tour's website. Below is a high level overview of their 12 initiatives:

1. CO2 Emissions - Coldplay have pledged to reduce their direct emissions by 50% in comparison to their previous tour. All remaining emissions are to be offset inline with the Oxford Offsetting Principles. This results in a very good carbon offsetting portfolio inclusive of Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage project from Climeworks.
2. Power - Coldplay will power their shows with almost entirely renewable power. Avoiding fossil fuels where possible. This includes the use of a kinetic floor, power will be generated by fans movement.
3. Travel - The tour has been organised to reduce air travel where possible, but it is unavoidable. A surcharge is to be paid to ensure the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Where possible, electric and biofuel vehicles will be used for land travel.
4. Stage Show - In various locations, in order to minimise freight emissions, the tour will adapt the show design so that it may use local equipment, materials and resources. LED wristbands worn by the audience for the show will be produced from 100% composable materials, they will also be collected ad reused. Lighting, audio and special effect have also been selected due to being ultra low emissions and produced as sustainably as possible.
5. Fans - Partnering with SAP a free App has been developed to encourage low carbon travel to and from shows. Fans travel will be included within the carbon footprint of the tour and will be offset.
6. Water - Water efficiency will be maximised. Free drinking water will be available at the shows, with fans encouraged to bring their own bottles.
7. Waste - Waste is to be minimised, following the waste mitigation hierarchy. Reuse of products where possible, recycle what can't be reused. Coldplay will also be supporting The Ocean Cleanup (one of my favourite companies of all time).
8. Food - Crew catering will be entirely plant based and locally sourced. Surplus and waste will be delivered to food banks or composted.
9. Merchandise - All merch will be sustainably and ethically sourced.  Where possible, all plastics and polyesters will be replaced with natural alternatives like organic cotton. Merch packaging will be made from 100% virgin plastic free. Venues will be encouraged to mirror these standards.
10. Good causes - 10% of everything Coldplay earns (touring, records, publishing etc) go into a good causes fund.  These funds will be split between environmental and socially-conscious projects and charities including ClientEarth, The Ocean Cleanup and One Tree Planted.  
11. Nature - Coldplay pledge to drawdown significantly more emissions than the tour produces by supporting various nature projects around the world, focusing on reforestation, rewilding, conservation and soil regeneration.
12. Transparency - Working with the Grantham Institute, the impact of the tour will be studied and published.

Whilst this tour is not Zero Carbon, the sustainability strategy provided by Hope Solutions is a monumental step forward.

The strategy laid out is a great example of how to produce a carbon neutral tour / event. Let's hope future event organisers take note and follow on from this work.