Green light

As the lifting of Covid restrictions sees a return to normality, Nigel Williamson investigates how bands can start touring again without destroying the planet

- Nigel Williamson

Last month I wrote about the peculiar phenomenon of selling music via NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and mentioned in passing how it has met with criticism for its apparently giant-sized carbon footprint. Now as we return to something resembling normality and live gigs and festivals are becoming a reality again, the industry is facing up to a more wide-reaching debate about music’s impact on climate change.

Are the colossal globe-trotting tours undertaken by bands such as the Rolling Stones, U2 and the Foo Fighters still sustainable in an age of environmental crisis? How can we justify the carbon emissions of the super DJs who play sets in several different European cities in a single weekend?

To coincide with the UK Government’s relaxation of the restrictions, a group of artists, labels and industry movers and shakers known as the Music Declares Emergency collective has launched a debate on how the recovery from Covid-19 can be turned green.