Features
60 Festivals Take Part In UK Sustainability Pilot
More than 60 festivals are taking part in a project to establish a green events code of practice across England. The project is called “Vision: 2025,” hosted by UK non-profit Julie’s Bicycle.
Ten local authorities and 60-plus festivals are on board “to test how a Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP) can be adopted nationally,” according to a press release form Julie’s Bicycle.
This code, developed by the UK outdoor events industry as a working draft, sets out minimum voluntary standards for events. Its overall aim is a minimum of 50% reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 through reductions in fossil fuel consumption; reducing meat, and dairy consumption; eliminating single-use plastic, and more.
The current phase is about testing the practical use of the code, so it may serve as a framework for local policy, and set standards of event sustainability, that’ll eventually be adopted nationally as best practices.
The Local Authority Event Organisers Group (LAEOG) supports the approach. Participating cities include Manchester, Liverpool, and Reading; participating events include WOMEX, Bristol’s Harbour Festival, Parklife Festival, Reading Festival, The Davis Cup, Shambala Festival, Leicester Mela, National Athletics Championships, Chinese New Year celebrations, the Euro 2024 Fan Village, and several Pride festivals.
See: Sustainability Guidelines For European Arenas
Comments:
“Vision: 2025” chair, and Shamabla Festival Director, Chris Johnson,: “I’m very proud that our industry is making the environment a key priority to deliver more sustainable festivals in the future. I’m surprised that we’ve heard so little about environmental issues during this election campaign so far, given the scale of the climate emergency we’re in. I hope our pioneering sector can continue to highlight and inspire positive actions to make a significant difference for future generations.
“The Green Events Code of Practice has been developed to avoid a lottery of expectations across England, and establish consistent standards. Everyone is asking ‘what good looks like’ and how to understand and measure it. This project will help to answer that question.”
John Hacking of Manchester City Council: “Manchester is already very much a leader in the area of sustainable events as we recognize the part they have to play in our wider drive towards becoming a zero carbon city by 2038.
“We’ve been supporting local events for some time now through knowledge sharing, guidance and practical support to embed sustainable practice throughout their operations, but we also recognize there are still some challenges to be addressed.
“We’re therefore going to be working with event organizers on several very different diverse events in Manchester over the coming months to trial this important new code of practice, which has a vital part to play in ensuring the future of the events industry nationally is a sustainable one.
“As well as helping standardize the expectations placed upon event organisers across the country, the trial will also help us formulate any additional further actions for events within the city as part of the city council’s next five-year Climate Change Action Plan.”
Andrew Lansley, Innovation lead at Cheltenham Festivals: “With many frameworks, voluntary certifications, approaches to sustainability, and a lack of legislation, it is important that everyone understands what is good and bad in terms of environmental performance. The Donut Advisory Tool for Events (DATE) is the assessment method, developed in line with GECoP to help these organizations collaborate, with the sole aim of producing something for the benefit of the industry, without a commercial agenda. This free-to-use toolkit will make a genuine difference across our whole industry.”
John Rostron, chair, Association of Independent Festivals (AIF): “The event industry is driving innovation, and event organizers are ready to take action on the climate, but they need guardrails, consistency and support to progress. Smaller grassroots and community events particularly need advice, support and the solutions for change.”