Coldplay — along with Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson and others — are among the most environmentally friendly major touring artists in the world, and the group has provided an update on the sustainability initiatives in their “Music of the Spheres” World Tour, which began in March 2022 and has so far sold more than 7 million tickets.
According to the report, the current tour:
– has so far produced 47% less CO2e emissions than their previous stadium tour in 2016-17;
– 66% of all tour waste has been diverted from landfills;
– 5 million trees have been planted (one for each concert goer). The trees will be supported to maturity via One Tree Planted;
– power for the show’s production (audio, lighting, lasers etc.) is provided from an electric battery system that uses 100% renewable energy;
– an average of 86% of the reusable, plant-based LED wristbands used by the audience during the show have been returned;
– each show has averaged 15kWh in power generated by in-venue solar installations, kinetic dance floors and power bikes – enough to power the C-stage performance each night and provide the crew with phone, laptop and tool-charging stations;
– 3,770 meals + 73 kg of toiletries has been donated from tour catering to the unhoused and unsheltered;
– 1 solar-powered River Interceptor, deployed in March 2021 in Malaysia via the Ocean Cleanup, has removed 158 tons of waste and 13 tons of ocean-bound plastic from the Klang River;
– Financial support has been provided to environmental organisations including ClientEarth,The Ocean Cleanup, Climeworks, Sea Shepherd, Project Seagrass, Sustainable Food Trust, Cleaner Seas Group, Food Forest Project, Knowledge Pele, Conservation Collective and others.
For more information, seecoldplay/emissions-update.
The band’s efforts have been assessed and validated by Professor John E. Fernandez of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Environmental Solutions Initiative, who said: “We fully endorse this effort as critically important, scientifically rigorous and of the highest quality. The band deserves significant praise in commissioning the work and acting as the vanguard for the global music industry.”
Coldplay’s full statement is below:
When we first announced the Music of the Spheres Tour, we hoped to make it as environmentally beneficial as possible and reduce our direct carbon emissions (from show production, freight, band and crew travel) by 50%. We’d like to share how it’s been going; some things work and some things need improving.
The emissions data from the first 12 months of the tour has now been collated, assessed and independently validated by Prof. John E. Fernandez of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative.
On a show-by-show comparison, the Music Of The Spheres Tour has so far produced 47% less CO2e emissions than our last stadium tour (2016-17).
This is a good start – and something that our incredible crew should be very proud of – but clearly there’s still room for improvement.
Now that we’re into the second year of the tour, we’ve started to run the entire show (audio, lights, lasers etc) from an electric battery system that allows us to use 100% renewable energy as efficiently as possible. We have been using electric vehicles and alternative fuels wherever we can, as well as reducing waste and plastic usage to a minimum.
Thankyou to all the brilliant people and creative minds who’ve helped us so far.
Thankyou too, SO MUCH, to everyone who’s come to a show and made all of this possible. You have helped charge the show batteries on the power bikes and kinetic dance floors; travelled to shows by foot, bicycle or public transport; used the recycling bins; ride-shared; brought refillable water bottles; returned the LED wristbands after the show. And just by coming you have had a tree planted, and helped a range of environmental organisations like the Ocean Cleanup and ClientEarth (a team of lawyers who defend the environment).
Thank you all and hopefully this time next year we will have made big improvements. If anyone has any ideas please feel free to send them via this link.
With love, Coldplay
